Report from Washington, D.C.
Capitol Hill Events Explore ISS Research and Deep Space Exploration
During July, the Space Foundation hosted two briefings to update congressional staff on NASA programs for human deep space exploration. The briefings included a panel of NASA’s industry partners working on the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion crew spacecraft. Panelists provided an overview of the programs, including progress that has been made and plans…
Space Foundation Hosts Luncheon for U.S.-Republic of Korea Meeting
On July 1, the U.S. Department of State and the Republic of Korea held their first bilateral meeting on space cooperation in Washington, D.C. The discussions included high-level government officials from both the U.S. and Republic of Korea governments. Following the meeting, the Space Foundation hosted a networking reception and luncheon for participants, as well…
Space Foundation Briefs Congressional Staff on The Space Report 2014
The Space Foundation held a briefing for the 2014 release of its annual publication The Space Report. The June 5 briefing was held in the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., and was attended by more than 50 people representing U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate staff from various committees that handle space.…
Senate Makes Progress on its Bill to Fund NASA and NOAA
On June 5, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up its version of the FY 2015 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill. The bill includes funding for both NASA and NOAA programs. In mid-June, the Senate began work to vote on the FY 2015 CJS Appropriations bill by the full Senate. However the bill, combined with…
House Passes Appropriations Bill to Fund the Department of Defense
On June 20, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the FY 2015 Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 4870). The bill includes funding for military space programs. The Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee is expected to mark up its version of the bill after Congress returns from its July 4th recess. The Space Foundation has updated…
House Passes Appropriation Bill to Fund NASA and NOAA
On May 29, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the FY 2015 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill. The bill includes funding for NASA and NOAA programs. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science is scheduled to mark up its version of the bill on June 3. The Space Foundation has updated its…
Final Rules Modernizing Export Controls for Spacecraft Released
On May 13, the State Department and Commerce Department published their interim final export control rules on spacecraft and related components that will allow for the transfer of commercial communication satellites and some remote sensing satellites from the more restrictive U.S. Munitions List (USML) to the Commerce Control List (CCL). The new regulations will go…
House Passes FY 2015 NDAA While Senate Armed Services Committee Marks Up Its Version
On May 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the FY 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 325-98. The bill provides policy guidance to the Department of Defense on strategic areas such as space and missile defense. The bill also authorizes funding to be appropriated for specific defense space programs. On…
Congress Marks up Authorization and Appropriation Bills for NASA
On April 29, the House Science, Space, & Technology Committee marked up the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2014, H.R. 4412. The bill would authorize Fiscal Year 2014 appropriation levels for NASA at the $17.6 billion level agreed to in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, Public Law 113-76, which was signed into…
House Armed Services Subcommittee Marks up FY 2015 National Defense Authorization Act
On April 30, the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces marked up its section of the FY 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill provides policy guidance to the Department of Defense (DoD) on strategic areas such as space and missile defense. The House Armed Services Committee is scheduled to mark up the…