Policy & Politics
Foust Forward | “Pro-space” lawmakers on wrong side of history after Capitol riot
The uncomfortable truth now facing the space community, in the days after the horrific events at the Capitol Jan. 6, is that some of the most prominent Republican supporters of space in Congress are on the wrong side of history.
White House executive order promotes development of space and defense nuclear power systems
Less than a month after issuing a policy directive on space nuclear power, the White House released an executive order Jan. 12 seeking to promote the development of small nuclear reactors for space and defense applications.
Pace steps down from National Space Council
The top staff member of the National Space Council resigned last week as the council’s future in coordinating space policy remains uncertain.
Congress overrides Trump’s veto and passes the National Defense Authorization Act
The U.S. Senate voted 81-13 on Jan. 1 to override President Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021.
White House releases planetary protection strategy
The White House released a national strategy for planetary protection Dec. 30, outlining new assessments to prevent terrestrial contamination of other worlds and vice versa.
House overrides Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act
The House of Representatives on Dec. 28 voted to overturn President Donald Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021.
Defense bill prospects unclear as House prepares to override Trump’s veto
Two-thirds majorities are needed in the House and Senate to overturn the president's veto of the NDAA and enact the bill into law.
Op-ed | Not all space capabilities should reside in Space Force
Opinion: The decision the Joint Chiefs reach in the next year will be as seminal for the future development of military space as any except the actual creation of Space Force.
On National Security | Space acquisition reform awaits Biden’s Pentagon team
Satisfying congressional demands for a revamped space acquisition process will now fall on President-elect Joe Biden’s Pentagon team.
Omnibus spending bill gives Space Force its first separate budget
The package approved by Congress for fiscal year 2021 provides $696 billion for the Defense Department, including $15.2 billion for the U.S. Space Force.
Op-ed | Building on the Artemis Accords to address space sustainability
It’s past time for a multilateral agreement on the principles governing space traffic management and sustainability, writes Jennifer A. Manner.
NASA receives $23.271 billion in fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending bill
Congress will provide NASA with nearly $23.3 billion in the final fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending bill, restoring several science programs but falling far short of the funding sought for a lunar lander program.
Op-ed | Protecting our assets from space debris
On Nov. 2, the United States and its International Space Station partner nations celebrated 20 years of humans continuously living and working in outer space. Much has changed in the space environment over the past two decades, but one thing is cl…
Senate passes NASA authorization act
The Senate unanimously approved a NASA authorization bill Dec. 18, a largely symbolic move intended to set up work on a new version of the legislation next year.
New ESA director general sees EU relations and commercialization as priorities
The next leader of the European Space Agency says his top priorities are to improve the agency’s relationship with the European Union and support commercial space activities in Europe.
House passes two space bills
The House of Representatives passed legislation Dec. 16 to protect Apollo-era artifacts on the moon and to rename another NASA facility after the first man to walk on the moon.
