Today, the National Space Council released the National Strategy for Planetary Protection. This Strategy will advance the Nation’s role in the sustainable exploration of space by appropriately protecting other planetary bodies and the Earth from potentially harmful biological contamination from space …

National Space Council Releases Strategy on Planetary Protection Read more »

Today the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) published new, experimental statistics on the U.S. space economy in the Survey of Current Business, including estimates of GDP, gross output, employment, and compensation by industry, covering 2012-2018. View statistics at …

Commerce Releases Experimental Statistics on the Space Economy Read more »

Today, President Trump issued a new National Strategy for Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion (Space Policy Directive-6). It is intended to ensure the development and use of space nuclear power and propulsion systems when appropriate to enable and achieve the …

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On December 16, 2020, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross published an opinion piece in Space News titled, “Space Commerce Accelerating.” The op-ed discusses the role of the U.S. commercial space industry in the new space race, notes the progress made …

Secretary Ross Op-Ed: Space Commerce Accelerating Read more »

Today, the White House released President Donald Trump’s National Space Policy providing direction for all United States space activities. View policy at archives.gov (1.3 MB PDF) View White House fact sheet View statement from the President The National Space Policy sets …

President Trump Issues New National Space Policy Read more »

Today, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross participated in the eighth meeting of the National Space Council, held at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. He delivered an update on the Administration’s efforts to foster the growth of the commercial space industry through …

Secretary Ross Remarks from 8th National Space Council Meeting Read more »

On Friday, November 20, 2020, NOAA awarded its first contracts to purchase commercially available space-based radio occultation (RO) data for use in NOAA’s operational weather forecasts. The two-year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts with a total contract ceiling of …

NOAA Awards First Commercial RO Contracts Supporting Operational Weather Forecasting Read more »

The Office of Space Commerce (OSC) announces an event to solicit input from the commercial space industry and the related information technology sector regarding the design, development, operation and governance for Space Policy Directive-3 (SPD-3): National Space Traffic Management Policy’s …

Industry Day for SPD-3: Open Architecture Data Repository Read more »

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao today announced the publication of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Streamlined Launch and Reentry Licensing Requirements Final Rule for commercial space transportation launches and reentries. “This historic, comprehensive update to commercial space launch …

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces Historic Commercial Space Transportation Reforms Read more »

Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded a $444,009 grant to the Maine Space Grant Consortium in Augusta, Maine, to develop a strategic plan for the Maine SpacePort Complex. The project, to be located in a …

Commerce Awards Matching Grant for Maine Spaceport Planning Read more »