In recent years, the Office of Space Commerce had been an almost forgotten part of the federal space bureaucracy, even among those immersed in policy debates. The tiny office lacked the regulatory mandate of the FAA, FCC, or even NOAA, whose Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs (CRSRA) office licensed commercial imaging satellites. That has changed remarkably quickly. In February, the National Space Council approved recommendations that would give the office new responsibility for oversi... Read more

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter’s amendment to require all newly manufactured helicopters be built with safer fuel systems was successfully adopted in the U.S. House of Representatives today. The legislation requires all newly manufactured helicopters comply with the recommendations from the Rotorcraft Occupant Protection Working Group within 18 months. Additionally, the legislation requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to expedite certification of retrofit kits to improv... Read more

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives approved legislation April 24 that would reform commercial remote sensing regulation and create a licensing regime for “non-traditional” commercial space activities. The House approved on a voice vote H.R. 2809, the American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act, after about 25 minutes of debate on the House floor during which no members spoke in opposition to the bill. The bill, which cleared the House Science Committee last June, is intended to both strea... Read more

The U.S. House of Representatives today unanimously passed the American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act (H.R. 2809), which simplifies and strengthens the space-based remote sensing regulatory system, enhances U.S. compliance with international obligations, improves national security and removes regulatory barriers facing new and innovative space operators. The bill is sponsored by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas). Chairman Smith: “American innovato... Read more

Today the House passed the American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act by voice vote with bipartisan support. The bill modernizes the existing regulatory system for commercial remote sensing satellites and designates the Department of Commerce as the agency responsible for regulating new “non-traditional” commercial space activities. Action now moves to the Senate. House Science, Space and Technology (SS&T) chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) led floor debate on the bill, H.R. 2809, though it was not a ... Read more

COLORADO SPRINGS — The House Science Committee, after some unusual last-minute drama, approved a NASA authorization bill April 17 that offers more support to the agency’s Earth science program. The committee voted 26–7 to approve H.R. 5503, the NASA Authorization Act of 2018. The bill approved by the committee was an amended version of the one introduced April 13, authorizing funding for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 and including a number of policy provisions. The markup of the bill, though, was i... Read more

Congressional Democrats and Republicans have waged repeated battles over funding for earth science research at NASA, with Democrats wanting more and Republicans less. But yesterday, the two sides came to an agreement on how much to spend on the earth sciences that allowed them to advance legislation sketching out a 2-year vision for the space agency. The setting was the science committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Its chairman, Representative Lamar Smith (R–TX), wanted to shape NASA’s... Read more

The House Science, Space, and Technology (SS&T) Committee approved a FY2018-2019 NASA authorization bill (H.R. 5503) on a 26-7 bipartisan vote today. Winning the support of committee Democrats involved last minute negotiations while the markup was underway that resulted in adoption of an amendment restoring $471 million in Earth science funding for FY2019. That brings the total authorized for NASA in FY2019 to $21.2 billion, which is $1.3 billion more than President Trump requested. The committe... Read more

Washington, D.C. – Today in the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) successfully restored funding to NASA’s Earth Science Program. Perlmutter’s amendment, which added $471 million to the FY 2019 Earth Science budget, was included in the funding bill for NASA programs for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 which passed out of committee 26-7. Initially, H.R. 5503 was set to cut funding for the Earth Science Program by almost 25% from FY18 funding levels. The Eart... Read more

WASHINGTON — The House Science Committee favorably reported bills March 22 that would recognize a NASA center as a center of excellence in rocket propulsion and would resolve a commercial space regulatory issue. The committee approved H.R. 5345, the American Leadership in Space Technology and Advanced Rocketry (ALSTAR) Act, and H.R. 5346, the Commercial Space Support Vehicle Act, on voice votes and with no opposition. “Together, the two bills help ensure that America remains competitive in space... Read more