U.S. Congress
Foust Forward | Seeking small victories in space policy
As the House and Senate struggle with pandemic relief and other spending bills, there seems little opportunity for anything space-related to get through Congress.
FCC stands by Ligado decision as lawmakers step up criticism
The FCC pushed back on new criticism from the Senate and House Armed Services Committees.
Space Force proposes ‘alternative acquisition system’ with less red tape
The U.S. Space Force is asking for changes in the rules that currently are in place for buying new weapon systems.
HASC joins critics of FCC’s Ligado decision, FCC denounces ‘baseless fear mongering’
The House Armed Services Committee said the FCC's approval of Ligado’s proposal disregards federal law.
Op-ed | NASA: Need Another Space Assignment?
While the National Space Council has laid out a clear path to a prosperous American future in space and NASA leadership have embraced ambitious goals with quick and efficient plans, the NASA Authorization Act of 2020 would return American spaceflight beyond low Earth orbit to governmental control.
OP-ED | For the United States, a second race to the moon is a second-rate goal
The United States has two choices: compete with developing nations in a new race to the moon, one it could possibly lose; or do what President John F. Kennedy did after the U.S. lost the early rounds of the space race to the Soviet Union — set a more distant goal.
House Armed Services Committee exploring several paths to a Space Force
Thornberry's letter to DoD: "It is important for us to understand the benefits and challenges of a full range of options.”
Military space needs independent voice, says HASC Chairman Thornberry
Congress this month will decide whether there should be a "space corps" separate from the Air Force.
Buzz Aldrin and Greg Autry: It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to run NASA
Finding another James Webb to run NASA was no easy task. President Trump considered several excellent candidates, some of whom we personally admire, but in the spirit of Webb’s leadership, U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine is the president’s nominee for NASA administrator.
Space Corps proposal becoming flashpoint in DoD budget negotiations
Rep. Mike Rogers says Air Force "better shape up or they’ll figure out who is in charge here," while Gen. David Goldfein says "now’s not the time to build seems and segregate and separate."
House panel takes first step towards military “Space Corps”
If made law, the move would require setting up a Space Corps organization by Jan. 1, 2019.
New administration, Congress present opportunities for National System for Geospatial Intelligence
After years of relatively flat budgets, the Republican-controlled Congress and Trump administration might support increased spending for federal defense, intelligence and civil agency programs focused on geospatial intelligence, said Robert Cardillo, director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
Air Force reorg too timid for House milspace leaders
Following the U.S. Air Force announcement that the service will be creating a new three-star staff position focused on space, two key lawmakers said it doesn’t address the core problems.
For Rep. Rogers, fighting through a war in space starts with fixing acquisition
The Alabama Republican has vowed to make “major reform” of the national security space sector a centerpiece of this year’s defense authorization bill.
McCain’s committee halves HASC’s RD-180 allowance
The Senate Armed Services Committee marked up its version of a defense authorization bill with language that lowers the limit on RD-180 engines to 9, instead of the 18 in the House bill.
Competing amendments relax restrictions on Air Force rocket funding
Key members of the House Armed Services Committee are pushing competing amendments that would do the same thing: let the Air Force spend a bit more on projects not directly related to building a replacement for the Russian RD-180 engine.
