International Affairs
Biweekly Washington D.C. Updates for the Week Ending on October 3, 2025
United States Space Policy Updates Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center since February 2024, announced his resignation. (AL.com, September 25) Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy announced that Space Force will require its next generation of space domain awareness satellites to be able to be refueled in…
Biweekly Washington D.C. Updates for the Week Ending on September 19, 2025
United States Space Policy Updates Senators John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Cornyn (R-TX), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Representatives Dale Strong (R-AL), George Whitesides (D-CA), and Vince Fong (R-CA) reintroduced the Spaceport Project Opportunities for Resilient Transportation (SPACEPORT) Act (Senator John Hickenlooper, September 19) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released…
Biweekly Washington D.C. Updates for the Week Ending on September 5, 2025
United States Space Policy Updates The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (CST) held a full committee hearing titled ‘There’s a Bad Moon on the Rise: Why Congress and NASA Must Thwart China in the Space Race.’ (Senate CST, September 3). Read Space Foundation’s summary of the hearing here. NASA selected Amit Kshatriya as the new…
Biweekly Washington D.C. Updates for the Week Ending on August 22, 2025
United States Space Policy Updates Interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy announced an intention to move NASA away from earth science efforts. (Payload, August 18) Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin announced his retirement. (Breaking Defense, August 18) The Federal Aviation Administration has dismissed all members of the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC). (SpaceNews, August 15) Steven Sinacore will…
Biweekly Washington D.C. Updates for the Week Ending on August 8, 2025
United States Space Policy Updates Interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy signed a new directive altering the agency’s acquisition strategy for commercial low earth orbit destinations. (Ars Technica, August 6) NASA Astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore has retired after 25 years with the agency. (NASA, August 6) Interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy outlined a fast-track plan for the agency…
Biweekly Washington D.C. Updates for the Week Ending on July 25, 2025
United States Space Policy Updates Congressmen Gabe Evans, Don Bacon, Glenn Ivey, and George Whitesides created the Advancing Humanity in Space Congressional Caucus (AHSCC). (Congressman Gabe Evans, July 21) Dr. Makenzie Lystrup, director of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is set to leave the agency on Friday, August 1. (NASA, July 21) Major General James Smith has…
Biweekly Washington D.C. Updates for the Week Ending on July 11, 2025
United States Space Policy Updates The Senate Committee on Appropriations held a markup hearing on the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. (U.S. Senate, July 10). Read Space Foundation’s summary of the markup here. The Senate confirmed Bryan Bedford to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). (New York Times, July 9)…
Biweekly Washington D.C. Updates for the Week Ending on June 27, 2025
United States Space Policy Updates Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Representative Mark Messmer (R-IN) announced the introduction of the the Ground and Orbital Launched Defeat of Emergent Nuclear Destruction and Other Missile Engagements (GOLDEN DOME) Act. (Senator Dan Sullivan, June 24) President Trump officially nominated Space Force General Michael Guetlein to lead the Golden…
Biweekly Washington D.C. Updates for the Week Ending on June 13, 2025
United States Space Policy Updates Representative Jeff Crank (R-CO) announced the creation of the House Golden Dome Caucus in partnership with Representative Dale Strong (R-AL) to promote support for space-based missile defenses. (Breaking Defense, June 10) The House Appropriations Committee released its draft Defense Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2026, which boosts U.S. Space Force (USSF)…
Biweekly Washington D.C. Updates for the Week Ending on May 16, 2025
United States Space Policy Updates The U.S. House Committee on Science Space and Technology (HSST) Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee held a hearing entitled “From Detection to Deflection: Evaluating NASA’s Planetary Defense Strategy.” (HSST, May 15) The U.S. Senate confirmed Troy Meink as the 27th Secretary of the Air Force. (USAF, May 13) The U.S. Senate formed a…