NEW HORIZON Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4693
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-29T17:25:01Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation directs the Department of Defense to test commercially available orbital data center services and space-based cloud computing through a pilot program. The goal is to assess their usefulness for national security space missions and joint military operations, with a focus on reducing data processing delays and improving system resilience.
Key Provisions
- Establishes a five-year operational pilot program, starting within one year of enactment, managed by the Defense Innovation Unit under the Hybrid Space Architecture initiative.
- Requires evaluation of these commercial services in real-world scenarios such as intelligence collection, space monitoring, command and control, and data movement.
- Mandates specific security steps for handling sensitive or classified data, including zero-trust cybersecurity, encryption, supply chain risk checks, protections against cyber and counterspace threats, and safeguards to keep data isolated between users.
- Requires the Secretary of Defense to consult with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, military services, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
- Directs a congressional briefing by December 31, 2028, covering program results, lessons learned, cybersecurity issues, and recommendations for future use.
- Defines "orbital data center" as space-based systems for in-orbit data processing, storage, or networking that operate independently of a spacecraft's main mission.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill introduces a new requirement for the Department of Defense to conduct this specific pilot program. It does not amend existing statutes but adds a temporary authority that ends five years after enactment.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: The Department of Defense, Space Force, and intelligence organizations would gain data on integrating commercial space services into existing systems, potentially affecting future acquisition and operations planning.
- On citizens and industry: Encourages participation by commercial space companies, including nontraditional contractors, while requiring compliance with defense security standards.
- On international relations: Indirect effects may arise from supply chain reviews that address foreign ownership concerns, though the bill focuses solely on domestic national security applications.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Department of Defense components, including the Defense Innovation Unit and service acquisition executives.
- Military departments and the Space Force.
- Intelligence agencies such as the National Reconnaissance Office and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
- Commercial space and technology providers seeking to offer orbital data services.
- Congressional defense committees, which receive required briefings.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The legislation emphasizes national security protections for classified data and supply chain integrity but raises no direct constitutional questions. It highlights the need for resilience in contested space environments and competitive domestic industry involvement, which could shape future defense procurement policies.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- 2026-06-04: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Nodes, Enterprise Workloads, and Hybrid Operations, Resilience, Integration, Zero-Trust, Orbital Networks Act — issued 2026-06-04 — PDF (10 pages)