Report from Washington, D.C.
OMB Guidance Would Cut 2013 NASA Budget
August 17, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) sent out its annual budget guidance memorandum to all federal agencies as they begin to build their FY 2013 budget plan submissions.This year’s memorandum directs agencies to submit their budget requests at 5 percent less than what they received for FY2011. For NASA, that…
SLS Design Hearing Hampered by Delayed Decision
The House Science, Space and Technology Committee held a hearing on July 12 entitled “A Review of NASA’s Space Launch System.” The hearing was originally called to review NASA’s final selection of its Space Launch System (SLS) design, but NASA had not yet selected a final SLS design at the time of the hearing. Rep.…
NASA and NOAA Appropriations Bill Passes
On July 13, the House Committee on Appropriations passed its FY 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) bill, which includes funds for NASA and NOAA. The CJS bill would appropriate $16.8 billion in spending for NASA, which is $1.9 billion less than the President requested for FY 2012. In formulating the budget decrease, the…
Space Acquisition Session Draws a Capacity Crowd
Last month, the Space Foundation and the Washington, D.C., consulting group GS3 hosted a lunch and discussion session on space acquisition. The keynote speaker was Under Secretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton, who spoke about administration efforts to address acquisition and industrial base efforts and conducted a lively Q&A session. Conaton was followed by two in-depth panels…
DoD Announces Cyberspace Strategy
The growing importance of cyberspace in our everyday lives was highlighted when the Department of Defense (DoD) unveiled its first strategy for operating in cyberspace. The opening phrase, “Cyberspace is a defining feature of modern life,” ties together the military, economic and social aspects of cyberspace in this new roadmap. During his announcement of this new…
Update from the White House
In July, the White House proposed comprehensive revisions to the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The Department of Commerce (DOC) published in the Federal Register a new regulatory construct to deal with the transfer of items from the United States Munitions List (USML) that the President determines no longer warrant control under the Arms Export…
DoD Space Programs Budget Comparison Available
The House of Representatives has passed its FY 2012 defense appropriations bill, H.R. 2219, which includes $530 billion in spending – $9 billion less than the President requested for fiscal year 2012. Despite the decrease, the legislation increases funding for the Department of Defense (DoD) by $17 billion over the FY 2011 budget. The Senate Appropriations Committee…
Senate Armed Services Committee Passes S. 1254
On June 22, the Senate confirmed former CIA director Leon Panetta to replace Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense. Also in June, the Senate Armed Services Committee passed S. 1254, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2012. In total, the bill authorizes $547 billion in base funding for the Department of Defense, $5.9 billion…
House Appropriations Committee Passes Defense Bill
On June 14, the House Committee on Appropriations passed its FY 2012 Defense Appropriations bill, which includes $530 billion in basic spending – $9 billion less than the President requested for FY 2012. Despite the decrease, the legislation increases base funding for the Department of Defense by $17 billion over the FY 2011 budget. In…
Space Foundation CEO Testifies in Washington
Space Foundation Chief Executive Officer Elliot Pulham testified May 18 before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on the importance of a robust space program (the official topic of the hearing was The Contributions of Space to National Imperatives). The other participants were Frank Slazer, vice president of space systems, Aerospace Industries Association; Dr. Christopher…