Space Authority's Instrument Serving as a Tool for American Influence Beyond Earth's Atmosphere
The International Space Station (ISS) continues to be a cornerstone of American space exploration and economic growth, as evidenced by the recent launch of the Space Leadership Council in collaboration with commercial technology leaders in February 2025. The mission aimed to explore opportunities for American companies in the booming space economy.
The ISS has been instrumental in catalyzing a commercial network of companies to build products and services for economic activity. Maintaining ISS operations is essential for preserving unique skills, workforce, and supply chains, and for protecting the significant private capital invested in commercial space services. The ISS serves as the anchor for economic growth, national security, and American leadership in space.
The ISS supports NASA's moon and Mars hardware development, advances human health and performance research, and enables fundamental and applied research. It also serves as a platform for international collaboration and diplomacy, fostering partnerships that transcend borders.
The proposed 2026 federal budget adjustments are expected to maintain support for the ISS operations and U.S. presence in low-Earth orbit (LEO), while also facilitating a transition toward commercial low-Earth orbit destinations (CLDs) to sustain U.S. leadership and capabilities in space. Congress is urged to continue funding ISS operations to enable a smooth transition and prevent gaps in research and commercial activities.
The budget emphasizes the importance of sustaining ISS operations and associated transportation and research through the end of the station’s mission to preserve mission-critical national security, economic, and scientific benefits. The plan supports evolving from ISS to commercial technology platforms (CLDs), which are positioned as the next frontier for U.S. space leadership. This transition aims to unlock new opportunities for innovation, economic growth, and collaboration in orbit.
The space sector business mission to the United Arab Emirates, led by the Chamber in December 2024, was the first of its kind, engaging top Emirati government officials and business leaders. The ISS, valued at nearly $300B, encourages continued commercial investment, and its role in U.S. and allied national security cannot be overstated.
The article was authored by John Neal, and a related article focuses on Aisha Bowe, an entrepreneur and former rocket scientist. The space sector business mission enjoyed strong support from the U.S. government, with official participation from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Defense, and Capitol Hill.
The budget also reflects broader priorities such as Space Force capabilities for space domain control, but these efforts are separate and the increase in defense space budgets does not appear to detract directly from ISS or NASA human spaceflight funding. The continuation of funding through appropriations is critical to avoid capability gaps, with the Senate and House proposing various adjustments to sustain NASA's human spaceflight and exploration programs, including ISS operations, albeit sometimes with shifted priorities away from pure science programs.
In conclusion, while NASA science funding has seen some proposed cuts in 2026, the federal budget adjustments for the ISS and U.S. LEO capabilities appear to prioritize sustaining ISS operations to ensure continuity and enable a strategic transition to commercial platforms, preserving U.S. leadership in low-Earth orbit.
- The International Space Station (ISS) plays a crucial role in catalyzing a commercial network of companies for economic activity.
- Maintaining ISS operations is essential for preserving unique skills, workforce, and supply chains, and for protecting the significant private capital invested in commercial space services.
- The ISS serves as the anchor for economic growth, national security, and American leadership in space, and its value is nearly $300B.
- The federal budget emphasizes the importance of sustaining ISS operations to preserve mission-critical national security, economic, and scientific benefits, and to unlock new opportunities for innovation and economic growth.
- The proposed budget adjustments aim to facilitate a transition toward commercial low-Earth orbit destinations (CLDs) to sustain U.S. leadership and capabilities in space, and this transition is expected to enable a smooth transition and prevent gaps in research and commercial activities.
