A Republican bill with 4 Democratic cosponsors · See all 7 cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 170.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
The SAFE Orbit Act aims to improve space situational awareness and coordinate space traffic. It directs the Secretary of Commerce to acquire and share unclassified data to prevent collisions of space objects. The bill authorizes the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Space Commerce to provide a free database and basic services to satellite operators. Additionally, the legislation mandates the elevation of the Office of Space Commerce into a bureau reporting directly to the Secretary of Commerce. This transition includes specific staffing and reporting requirements to ensure continuity.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill prioritizes the acquisition of data from U.S. commercial industry and provides free tracking services.
- Scored +5
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill provides free space situational awareness services and a public database to help satellite operators.
- Scored +5
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates the provision of a free, unclassified database concerning space objects to the public.
The opposite
- Scored -4
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?
The bill establishes broad legal immunity for government entities and their agents regarding space services.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Access to Free Information: The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Space Commerce must provide the public access to a fully updated, unclassified database regarding space objects and behavior at no charge (Section 2(d)).
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Support for Satellite Operators: Basic space situational awareness services, including tracking and analytics, must be provided to satellite operators at no charge (Section 2(e)(1)).
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Collision Avoidance: The Assistant Secretary is authorized to acquire specific data, such as location tracking and orbit determination, specifically to avoid collisions of space objects (Section 2(c)).
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Protection of Domestic Industry: The bill directs the government to prioritize the acquisition of data and services from commercial industry located in or licensed in the United States (Section 2(f)(2)).
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Data Security: The law requires that the protection of proprietary data, information, and systems of U.S. firms be handled using appropriate infrastructure and cybersecurity measures (Section 2(f)(3)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Legal Immunity for Government Entities: The bill establishes that the United States, its agencies, and various individuals or corporations acting for the government are immune from any lawsuit arising from the provision or receipt of space situational awareness services or information (Section 2(b)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — The bill requires the protection of proprietary data through appropriate infrastructure and cybersecurity measures. Does this strengthen ties with allied countries? — The bill encourages foreign governments to participate in unclassified data sharing arrangements.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill prioritizes the acquisition of data from U.S. commercial industry and provides free tracking services.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill provides free space situational awareness services and a public database to help satellite operators.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill enhances space situational awareness capabilities through data acquisition and analysis.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates the provision of a free, unclassified database concerning space objects to the public. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — The bill establishes broad legal immunity for government entities and their agents regarding space services.
- 9/29/2025
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with amendments. With written report No. 119-65.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 170.
- 3/12/2025
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
- 2/5/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 7 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Marsha BlackburnRepublican · Tennessee
John HickenlooperDemocrat · Colorado
Mark KellyDemocrat · Arizona
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Gary PetersDemocrat · Michigan
Eric SchmittRepublican · Missouri
Roger WickerRepublican · Mississippi