On October 4, 2018, the State Department issued minor revisions to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), including two changes related to space systems: In response to industry feedback, the State Department added a note clarifying that the rocket…
Office of Space Commerce
Helping U.S. businesses use the unique medium of space to benefit our economy
Space Export Controls
The Departments of Commerce and State are actively working to reform the U.S. satellite export control regime with the goal of improving the competitiveness of the domestic space industry.
President Signs Directive on Space Regulatory Reform
Today, President Trump signed a space policy directive to reform America’s commercial space regulatory framework, ensuring the nation’s place as a leader in space commerce. The directive includes recommendations developed by the National Space Council regarding commercial space transportation regulations,…
Tagged with: President, Secretary of Commerce
Posted in Commercial Remote Sensing, Export Controls, National Space Council, Regulatory Reform
Posted in Commercial Remote Sensing, Export Controls, National Space Council, Regulatory Reform
Space Council Focuses on Regulatory Reform
Today, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross participated in the second meeting of the National Space Council, held at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Among other things, the Council approved a set of recommendations to the President for regulatory reforms…
Tagged with: Secretary of Commerce
Posted in Commercial Remote Sensing, Export Controls, National Space Council, Regulatory Reform
Posted in Commercial Remote Sensing, Export Controls, National Space Council, Regulatory Reform
Plain Language Guidebook on Satellite Export Controls
Today, the Office of Space Commerce and the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation published the second edition of their Introduction to U.S. Export Controls for the Commercial Space Industry. The guidebook provides basic information to help commercial space organizations,…
Commerce Department Now Accepting Public Inputs on Regulatory Streamlining
On October 5, 2017, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross attended the first meeting of the reconstituted National Space Council. As Chairman of the Council, Vice President Mike Pence called for a full review of the U.S. regulatory framework for commercial…
Tagged with: Secretary of Commerce
Posted in Business with the Government, Commercial Remote Sensing, Export Controls, National Space Council, Regulatory Reform
Posted in Business with the Government, Commercial Remote Sensing, Export Controls, National Space Council, Regulatory Reform
New Rules Refine Satellite Export Controls
On January 10, 2017, the State Department updated its satellite export control rules under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The revised rules include several notable changes requested by the commercial space industry and advocated by the Commerce Department,…
ITAR Controls on GPS/GNSS Receivers Updated
Today, the State Department published its final rule revising Category XII of the U.S. Munitions List (USML) under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Among other things, the rule updates the export controls on military GPS/GNSS receivers and moves them out of USML Category…
Proposed Changes to GPS/GNSS Export Controls Published
On February 19, the State Department published a proposed export control rule change affecting GPS/GNSS user equipment. Among other things, the rule will move the existing GPS/GNSS receiver controls found in Category XV of the U.S. Munitions List (Spacecraft Systems…
Technical Corrections to DOC Spacecraft Export Control Rules
Today, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published a “clean-up” rule for its new spacecraft export regulations, similar to the correction published by State on Monday. The Commerce correction rule is (retroactively) effective November 10, 2014. Commerce’s correction rule…
Satellite Export Control Reform Takes Effect
Starting today, U.S. commercial communications satellites are no longer considered defense articles subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). November 10 is the effective date for most of the sweeping satellite export rule changes published six months ago.…