S. 4044

119 S4044 IS: Support for Astrophysical Observatories and National High-Energy Astrophysics Hubs Act of 2026
 U.S. Senate
 2026-03-10
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 II  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  S. 4044  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   March 10, 2026   Mr. Markey  (for himself and  Ms. Warren ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation    A BILL
To require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to designate national high-energy astrophysics hubs.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Support for Astrophysical Observatories and National High-Energy Astrophysics Hubs Act of 2026  .
2.
Support for astrophysical observatories and national high-energy astrophysics hubs
(a)
Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
the United States should maintain its global leadership in high-energy astrophysics;
(2)
in order to maintain such leadership, the United States should support X-ray flagship missions based on the recommendations of the most recent and future decadal Surveys in Astronomy and Astrophysics issued by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine;
(3)
the workforce associated with high-energy astrophysics constitutes a national strategic asset that will be critical to the development and eventual operation of any such flagship mission; and
(4)
proactive steps should be taken to ensure that the capabilities of current high-energy astrophysics facilities continue to serve the scientific, educational, and commercial interests of the United States long beyond the duration of the current high-energy astrophysics flagship mission.
(b)
Designation
(1)
In general
The Administrator shall designate as a national high-energy astrophysics hub each eligible facility described in paragraph (2).
(2)
Eligible facility described
An eligible facility described in this paragraph is an entity that—
(A)
(i)
is party to a contract with NASA; and
(ii)
plans and operates missions that conduct activities for purposes of—
(I)
ensuring continued United States leadership in high-energy astrophysics and related space sciences;
(II)
supporting training and workforce development in data-intensive high-energy astrophysics, aerospace engineering, and spacecraft operations;
(III)
advancing United States capabilities in high-performance scientific software, spaceflight operations, and technology transfer;
(IV)
enabling future high-energy astrophysics missions through mission design, planning, and scientific coordination; or
(V)
serving as a collaborative national resource for academic, governmental, and commercial partners; and
(B)
(i)
is an institution of higher education;
(ii)
is an appropriate State or Federal entity, including a federally funded research and development center; or
(iii)
is a nongovernmental organization with expertise in advanced energy technology research, development, demonstration, or commercial application.