Helping U.S. businesses use the unique medium of space to benefit our economy
The Office of Space Commerce promotes U.S. commercial remote sensing satellite services by contributing to the development of government policies affecting the industry, voicing the industry’s interests within interagency policy discussions, and representing U.S. commercial interests in international negotiations.
Separately, NOAA’s Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs Office licenses the operation of U.S. commercial imaging satellites and manages the Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing (ACCRES). Learn more
Today, the Commerce Department published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on Licensing Private Remote Sensing Space Systems. View notice in the Federal Register View public comments at regulations.gov Commerce is considering revisions to …
Request for Comments on Remote Sensing Regulatory Reform Read more »
Today, during the third meeting of the National Space Council, President Trump signed Space Policy Directive-3, the first National Space Traffic Management Policy. The policy provides guidelines and direction to ensure that the United States …
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 …
President Signs Directive on Space Regulatory Reform Read more »
Yesterday, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross issued a statement regarding the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of H.R. 2809, the American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act. View statement The stated purpose of the bill is …
Statement of Secretary Ross on House Passage of Space Commerce Bill Read more »
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 …
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 …
Commerce Department Now Accepting Public Inputs on Regulatory Streamlining Read more »
On November 25, President Obama signed the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act. The legislation renamed the Office of Space Commercialization to the Office of Space Commerce (its original designation) and added several functions. The …
Law Restores Original Name of Office of Space Commerce Read more »
On May 13, 2014, the Departments of State and Commerce released a set of interim final rules that move many commercial satellites and related items from the U.S. Munitions List to the Commerce Control List. …
Revised Satellite Export Control Rules Published Read more »
DOC’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has released an assessment of the consumers of U.S. commercial electro-optical (EO) satellite imagery. The goal was to evaluate the current market behavior of these imagery consumers as …
Report on Consumers of Commercial Remote Sensing Imagery Read more »
In January 2013, the major two U.S. commercial remote sensing satellite firms, DigitalGlobe and GeoEye, completed their merger, retaining the DigitalGlobe name.
On April 27, Eve Douglas of the Office of Space Commercialization will speak at a Space Enterprise Council forum on “The Importance of Commercial Remote Sensing to Economic and National Security.” The Capitol Hill event …
Douglas to Speak at Commercial Remote Sensing Forum Read more »
On August 6, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency awarded $7.3 billion in contracts to two U.S. commercial remote sensing firms in support of the EnhancedView program.
Today, President Obama issued a National Space Policy directive providing comprehensive guidance for all government activities in space, including the commercial, civil, and national security space sectors. The new policy leans farther forward in support …
March 3-5, 2010 Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center Washington, D.C. The Office of Space Commercialization partnered with the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) to organize this international symposium on satellite-based commercial remote sensing. …
2010 International Commercial Remote Sensing Symposium Read more »
On August 24, 2009, NOAA granted a license to Northrop Grumman to operate a commercial remote sensing satellite with one-meter synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capability. It is the first U.S. license approved for a commercial …
U.S. Approval for 1-Meter Commercial Radar Satellite Read more »
The Office of Space Commercialization has partnered with the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) to organize the 2010 International Commercial Remote Sensing Symposium, to be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center …
On June 15, 2009, NOAA’s Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs Office issued a Request for Information (RFI) on U.S. commercial remote sensing capabilities and business models. The industry inputs will inform government decision makers deliberating …
On October 19, 2006, the Office of Space Commercialization and the Space Enterprise Council of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce co-hosted a public workshop on “GIS Capabilities for Civil Government Agencies: Building a Bridge to …
Workshop on GIS Capabilities for Civil Government Agencies Read more »
Remarks of Edward Morris Director, Office of Space Commercialization National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Department of Commerce Washington Space Business Roundtable Luncheon Continuity of Business (via satellite) Summit U.S. Chamber of Commerce September 21, …
Statement of Edward Morris Director, Office of Space Commercialization National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Department of Commerce Hearing on Space and U.S. National Power Before the Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces …
Testimony from HASC Hearing on Space and U.S. National Power Read more »
On September 14, 2004, NGA followed up on the success of its ClearView program with the NextView initiative, which now ensures the government access to commercial satellite imagery at 0.5 meter resolution. As a part …
On March 29, 2003, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) announced its ClearView initiative, awarding a multi-year contract and entering into agreements with three U.S. commercial data providers — DigitalGlobe, Space Imaging, and OrbImage — to …
ClearView Arrangements Awarded to Three Remote Sensing Firms Read more »