Lawmakers Question NASA on OSAM-1 Mission Cancellation
Members of Maryland’s congressional delegation pressed NASA for answers on its OSAM-1 Mission cancellation, Rep. Steny H. Hoyer announced.
Congressman Hoyer joined US Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone, and Glenn Ivey in a letter to National Aeronautics and Space Administration Administrator Bill Nelson, pressing the agency for answers on its decision to cancel the On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) robotic satellite maintenance mission, even after the lawmakers provided $227 million through fiscal 2024 appropriations legislation to ensure its launch in 2026.
The lawmakers also have been working to secure continued funding in the next fiscal year.
The OSAM-1 mission, developed at the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, MD, was expected to offer operators new ways to maintain their satellite fleets more efficiently and help mitigate space debris. In their letter, delegation members ask Administrator Nelson for a detailed accounting of the review process that led to the cancellation as well as the plan to utilize the nearly complete OSAM-1 satellite.
“OSAM-1 is a space technology mission developed to demonstrate NASA’s capabilities to extend the lifespans of government-owned satellites and other satellites that were not originally built or intended to be serviced in space,” the lawmakers wrote. “This demonstration intends to show the ability to repair and restore existing satellites, prolong satellite mission life, and pave the way for more sustainable and cost-effective space missions in the future. […] There is currently no existing operation that demonstrates the unique capabilities of this technology within US public or commercial missions.”
“On February 29, 2024, NASA ordered an orderly shutdown of the OSAM-1 mission, citing technical, cost, and scheduling challenges as well as the overall funding environment. Recognizing the value of the mission, Congress directed NASA to continue the OSAM-1 mission in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” they continued, citing their work to preserve the mission and keep it on track for launch in 2026.
“It is our understanding that in April 2024 NASA received an updated plan from the mission team, which included a rescope of the mission to meet the launch and budget requirements, as directed by Congress, and reduced testing requirements to adopt a Class-D designation in line with the standard posture of a technology demonstration project. It is also our understanding that the OSAM-1 mission team has proceeded with executing on this updated plan,” pointing to further progress in resolving these issues.”
Read the full text of the letter here.
Congressman Hoyer is chair of the Regional Leadership Council.
For more information about Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, visit his Leader member page.
