This is Akin's biweekly policy newsletter on space policy and regulatory developments, providing information on major space headlines and forthcoming space-related events and hearings:
ON THE HILL
Articles and Quotes
Congress Passes Final Fiscal Year 2024 Spending Bill for NASA, NOAA and FAA (SpaceNews)
Congress passed a FY24 spending bill that included six separate spending bills, including those for commerce, justice and science (CJS). The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) received $24.875 billion for 2024, 8.5% below its original request and 2% lower than what it received in 2023. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Space Commerce received $65 million despite requesting $88 million for 2024. Finally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received $42.018 million for commercial space transportation, an increase from the $37.854 million received last year.
New Congressional Caucus Seeks to Build Support for NASA's Planetary Science Programs (SpaceNews)
Reps. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Don Bacon (R-NE) announced they were restarting the Planetary Science Caucus to educate other members and the public on the benefits of space exploration. At an event marking the relaunch of the caucus, Rep. Chu stated "[they] are launching this caucus at a critical moment for the future of American planetary science," noting the recent funding cuts to NASA's Mars Sample Return program. Meanwhile, Rep. Bacon stated that "as the future continues to unfold before us, we owe a duty to our children, our grandchildren, and their descendants to drive our innovation by prioritizing exploration. There is no greater exploration than the final frontier."
Introduced Legislation
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Rep. French Hill (R-AR) introduced the Taiwan and America Space Assistance Act (S. 3936; H.R. 7661) to require the Administrator of NASA and the Administrator of NOAA to seek to engage the authorities of Taiwan with respect to expanding cooperation on civilian space activities, and for other purposes.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Licensing Aerospace Units to New Commercial Heights (LAUNCH) Act (S. 3966) to streamline the application of regulations relating to commercial space launch and reentry requirements and licensing of private remote sensing space systems, and for other purposes.
Rep. Jeff Jackson (D-NC) introduced a bill to amend Title 51, United States Code, to exempt from disclosure by NASA certain technical data, and for other purposes (H.R. 7632).
Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL) introduced the NASA Streamlining Partnerships for Research and Education for Engineering and Science Act (H.R. 7687) to amend Title 51, United States Code, to authorize the transfer to NASA of funds from other agencies for scientific or engineering research or education, and for other purposes.
On March 20, 2024, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a markup of four space bills: the Astronaut Safe Temporary Ride Options (ASTRO) Act (H.R. 272); the Space Resources Institute Act (H.R. 4152); the Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries (ASCEND) Act (H.R. 6219); and the Streamlining Partnerships for Research and Education for Engineering and Science (SPREES) Act (H.R. 7687). All four bills were advanced to the House floor by unanimous votes.
Please find our Space Legislation Tracker here.
Recent and Upcoming Congressional Hearings
March 11 - March 29, 2024
Senate
No relevant recent or upcoming Senate hearings.
House of Representatives
2024 Annual Threat Assessment
Hearing
House Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence
Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 10:00 AM ET
Full Committee Markup of Eight
Bills
House Committee on Science, Space and
Technology
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 10:00 AM ET
Advancing Scientific Discovery: Assessing the
Status of NASA's Science Mission Directorate
House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 10:00 AM ET
FY25 Strategic Forces Posture
House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic
Forces
Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 3:30 PM ET
IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Articles and Quotes
NASA Says Spending Caps Force "Hard Choices" for Its 2025 Budget (SpaceNews)
NASA's fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget proposal was released on March 11. The agency is requesting $25.384 billion, which is the exact amount it received in FY 2023 and represents a $2.3 billion reduction from its FY 2024 request. Speaking with reports, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated that the agency's budget constraints are caused by the debt ceiling agreement enacted last year, which placed caps on nondefense discretionary spending for FY 2024 and FY 2025.
Space Force Budget Could Drop for First Time in FY2025 (Space Policy Online)
The President's Budget Request sought $29.4 billion for the U.S. Space Force, a $600 million difference from his request last year. Should Congress approve the requested levels, the Space Force will suffer a 2% loss, the first budgetary reduction since it was established in 2020.
FAA Requests Large Funding Increase for Commercial Space Office (SpaceNews)
In its FY 2025 budget proposal, the FAA requested $57.13 million for the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, making a 36% increase from what it received last year. The office stated that it requires "additional licensing and permitting evaluators, environmental protection and stakeholder engagement specialists, and safety analysts to double its average annual new authorization determination capacity from 5 to 10 while keeping pace with requests for modifications and renewals."
Mars Sample Return Science Continues Amid Budget Uncertainty (SpaceNews)
On March 12, scientists involved with the Perseverance rover sample collection program stated that the rover has filled 26 of its 43 sample tubes, and that despite concerns about delays and budget, NASA continues to develop a program to return those samples to Earth.
Pentagon's Innovation Unit Steps Up Role in Space Force's Responsive Launch Program (SpaceNews)
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the Department of Defense (DOD) team tasked with integrating commercial technology into the military, is working with the Space Force's Tactically Responsive Space program to shorten the time it takes to plan and launch space missions. DIU and the Space Force are currently working together to identify and select commercial providers for an upcoming responsive mission titled Victus Haze.
Federal Agency Space News
Department of Defense
DAF Releases 2025 Budget Proposal (March 11, 2024)
Federal Aviation Administration
Policy on Requiring Disclosure of Payload Contents (March 14, 2024)
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
2024 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community (March 11, 2024)
Check out below for comment opportunities, requests for proposals, notices of proposed rulemaking and a look at the week ahead in space events:
Comment Opportunities (RFIs)
License Requirements for Operation of a Launch
Site
Federal Aviation Administration
Close Date: March 26, 2024
Private Remote Sensing Satellite Disposal and
Debris Mitigation
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Close Date: April 8, 2024
Promoting Supply Chain
Resilience
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
Close Date: April 22, 2024
NASA Hosted Payload Interface Guide (HPIG) for
Proposers
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration
Close Date: April 30, 2024
Space Technology Advanced Research-Fast-Tracking
Innovative Software and Hardware (STAR-FISH) Advanced Research
Announcement (ARA)
Department of Defense
Close Date: April 23, 2025
Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program
Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) On-Ramp
1
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration
Close Date: March 25, 2024
Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences
2024 (ROSES-2024)
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration
Close Date: May 15, 2025
Notices of Proposed Rulemakings (NPRMs)
Space Innovation; Facilitating Capabilities for
In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing
Federal Communications Commission
Close Date: April 29, 2024
INTERNATIONAL
Articles and Quotes
The U.S. and Japan cosponsored a United Nations (U.N.) Security Council resolution calling on all nations not to develop or deploy nuclear weapons in space. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated that "any placement of nuclear weapons into orbit around the Earth would be unprecedented, dangerous, and unacceptable."
Japan Creates Multibillion-Dollar Space Strategic Fund to Boost Space Industry (SpaceNews)
The Japanese government approved legislation to establish a $6.7 billion, 10-year fund for the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The Space Strategic Fund is intended to help develop Japan's innovation and international competitiveness in space.
Russia Warns United States: Use of SpaceX for Spying Makes Its Satellites a Target (Reuters)
After reporting was released this month stating that SpaceX is building a network of spy satellites under a classified contract with a U.S. intelligence agency, Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters that Russia is aware of those efforts and warned that such systems "become a legitimate target for retaliatory measures, including military ones."
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