On February 13, 2020, President Trump signed Executive Order 13906, amending the earlier Executive Order 13803 to formally revive the National Space Council as a coordinating body for federal space policy. The council structure had been dormant for decades before Trump's initial 2017 executive order reactivated it. This 2020 amendment reinforced the council's institutional standing and mandate to synchronize space exploration initiatives, commercial space activities, and national space policy across federal agencies and private sector stakeholders. The legal mechanism was a standard presidential executive order, requiring no congressional authorization.

The National Space Council directly affects space agencies including NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, the Federal Communications Commission, and the National Reconnaissance Office, alongside commercial space companies relying on federal contracts and regulatory coordination. Vice President Mike Pence chaired the council, positioning it as a high-level interagency forum. Scientists, engineers, and policy officials at these agencies gained a formal coordinating mechanism for developing space strategy, while commercial space entities gained clearer pathways for federal engagement on regulatory and procurement matters.

This action appeared anomalous within the broader Trump administration pattern toward scientific advisory bodies. The same administration would later dissolve the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology in January 2025 and terminate National Science Board members in the same month, demonstrating a selective approach to scientific coordination. The contrast suggests the Space Council's reinvigoration served specific strategic interests—military space capabilities and commercial space development—while broader science advisory structures faced elimination. This parallels the administration's selective engagement with scientific institutions rather than across-the-board scientific policy architecture.

No significant legal challenges or congressional opposition emerged regarding this executive order. The revival of a dormant council structure presented minimal statutory friction compared to other science policy actions. The order remained active as implemented, maintaining the council's operational status and coordinating role throughout the remainder of the Trump administration and beyond.