Policy & Politics
U.K. deepens space ties with U.S., announces investments in small satellites, responsive launch
The U.K. will invest $34 million in small satellites, will increase support for the Combined Space Operations Center.
Artemis cost estimate won’t be ready until 2020
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told a Senate committee July 17 that a cost estimate for landing humans on the moon by 2024 likely won’t be ready until the administration submits a budget request next February.
Defense nominee Mark Esper calls on Congress to provide ‘necessary resources’ to stand up Space Force
Esper told the SASC that, if confirmed, he intends to get involved in the Space Force legislative debate.
Trump nominates Esper, Spencer temporarily takes over as Pentagon chief
Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer became the third acting secretary of defense since Jim Mattis resigned.
House Armed Services Committee denies funding for Space Development Agency
The committee cited concerns about the "turmoil surrounding the Space Development Agency."
FCC outlines proposed smallsat licensing rules
Under newly proposed rules, smallsat operators will be able to choose a licensing path — for authorization as a domestic operator or for U.S. market access as a foreign operator — for $30,000 instead of the $472,000 fee required today for satellites in non-geosynchronous orbits.
Space Force legislative talks at impasse over personnel issues, cost concerns
The House and Senate voted in support of a space service to be nested inside the Air Force, but much still remains unresolved.
House passes NDAA, keeps HASC chairman Smith’s space launch reforms alive
Proposed changes to the National Security Space Launch program that Smith introduced in the HASC version of the NDAA made it into the House bill.
Bridenstine says leadership changes linked to urgency in NASA’s exploration programs
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said he reassigned the agency’s human spaceflight head, Bill Gerstenmaier, because time was limited to address cost and schedule issues with the agency’s key exploration programs and still meet a 2024 deadline for returning humans to the moon.
Questions linger about reassignment of NASA exploration officials
NASA’s leadership offered few details July 11 about the sudden reassignment of two top officials in its human spaceflight program the day before, a move that drew criticism from leading House members.
Senators working on “bold” new NASA authorization bill
The chairman of the Senate’s space subcommittee says he’s working with colleagues on a “bold” new NASA authorization bill to direct the future of the agency’s human spaceflight program.
Joint Chiefs nominee backs Senate’s piecemeal approach to establish Space Force
Gen. Mark Milley said he fully supports the establishment of a Space Force and rejects the criticism that the new branch is just an “added layer of bureaucracy.”
White House challenges HASC Space Corps language, strongly objects to space launch provisions in NDAA
On the National Security Space Launch program, the administration “strongly objects” to HASC language “as it would increase mission risk for the nation’s national security satellites.”
FCC to introduce new simplified licensing regulations for smallsats
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, speaking at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event here, said the regulations will make licensing small satellites cheaper and faster in order to better match cost and pace at which smallsat operators often function.
Foust Forward | Bursting the space bubble before it even inflates
One of the central beliefs of advocates of the growing commercial space industry is the concept of the trillion-dollar space economy. What if those numbers — both the current and future size of the space economy — are way too high?
As acting Air Force secretary, Donovan takes lead role advocating for independent space force
Acting Air Force Secretary Matt Donovan: “Let’s unleash the space professionals."
