Rep. Laura Gillen (D-NY-04), a member of the House Space, Science and Technology Committee, has secured an amendment to the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026 to ensure the expansion of research and technology consortia in Nassau County and nationwide.
“NASA’s collaborative partnerships have been instrumental in advancing NASA’s research mission, increasing access to space and boosting the space economy,” Gillen said in a committee hearing this week.
She referred to the agency’s Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium as a prime example of collaboration. The group brings together government, academia, non-profit institutions and the private sector to solve the hardest problems of lunar exploration.
“This model is worth replicating. That is why I am offering this amendment, which would direct the NASA Administrator to support the expansion of research and technology consortia across the country,” Gillen said.
The amendment directs the NASA Administrator to provide technical support to potential partners and report to Congress on where new partnerships could best maximize innovation.
Gillen said the goal is to ensure that regions with strong research capabilities and economic potential are not overlooked simply because they fall outside traditional academic or aerospace industry hubs.
“This amendment will help ensure that NASA is working with partners that have the research and economic capacity to meet this moment but may not be located within traditional academic and industry clusters.”
She highlighted her district on the south shore of Long Island as a prime example of untapped potential. Long Island has a long history in America’s space program, including the construction of the original lunar module, Eagle.
“Long Island is home to Brookhaven National Laboratory, exceptional universities such as Hofstra, Stony Brook, Molloy and Adelphi and a thriving private sector that spurs innovation,” Gillen said. “These institutions are willing and able partners if NASA has the capacity to work with them.”
