For Space and Beyond: The Case for SBIR/STTR Reauthorization

SBIR and STTR are proven engines for turning early-stage R&D into commercially viable technologies. The U.S. Chamber supports S. 3971, the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, which would deliver a five-year reauthorization of these programs and provide the stability innovators and agencies need to plan multi-year research and commercialization efforts.

For small businesses, including many in the space sector, SBIR and STTR help bridge the “valley of death” between concept and market. Competitive awards enable entrepreneurs to de-risk development, attract follow-on investment, and strengthen U.S. supply chains while supporting high-quality jobs nationwide. The programs also serve as an on-ramp to federal partners like NASA and the Department of War, helping startups and smaller firms bring cutting-edge solutions into mission pipelines.

By contrast, lapses and short-term extensions create damaging uncertainty: cancelled solicitations, delayed awards, and disrupted R&D planning that can stall hiring and investment. A full five-year reauthorization would restore predictability, keep the innovation pipeline moving, and help ensure the next generation of American technologies, and the companies behind them, scale here at home.

Download the full letter below.

About the authors

John Neal

John Neal serves as the Executive Director for Space Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce where he leads the Chamber’s Space Industry Council.

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Benjamin Kron

Ben Kron serves as a Senior Manager of Cyber, Space and NatSec Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

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