Space Policy
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending December 18, 2020
Last week, the National Space Council met for the last time of the year at the Kennedy Space Center. President Trump signed a continuing resolution to keep the government funded until December 18. The Senate passed the final version of the NDAA (H.R. 6395) despite the President’s veto threat. This week, Congressional leaders have continued…
Read MoreBiweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending December 4, 2020
Lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill this week for the last meetings and committee hearings of the year. Senator-elect Mark Kelly (D-AZ) became the fourth astronaut elected to Congress when he was sworn in on Wednesday. There are several items on the Congressional agenda, including the finalizing of FY2021 appropriations and negotiating a stimulus bill. Next…
Read MoreSpace Policy Pod – Episode 15: (Karl Rodrigues, Australian Space Agency)
Episode 15 features Karl Rodrigues, Executive Director for International and National Engagement at the Australian Space Agency. Mr. Rodrigues is responsible for developing relationships with international space agencies. He also engages with Australian industry, start-ups, domestic agencies, research institutions, and state and territory governments to help grow the Australian space sector. Mr. Rodrigues has over…
Read MoreBiweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending November 13, 2020
The Senate Appropriations Committee released the text of a dozen FY2021 bills this week in order to pass a large funding omnibus and prevent a government shutdown in December. However, it is unclear how much progress will be made in a lame duck session. Other priorities Congress must tackle include a coronavirus relief package and…
Read MoreSpace Policy Pod – Episode 14: (Dale Nash, Virginia Space)
This episode features Dale Nash, CEO and Executive Director of Virginia Commercial Spaceflight Authority. Also known as Virginia Space, the authority owns and operates the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) including three Launch Pads and a Payload Processing Facility, as well as the MARS UAS Airfield. Mr. Nash has 38 years of experience in the aerospace…
Read MoreBiweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending October 30, 2020
The Senate took recess this week following the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, as Washington and the country await the results of the 2020 elections next week. Meanwhile, it was reported that NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover had made it to the halfway point in its journey to the Red Planet, and preparations…
Read MoreSpace Policy Pod – Episode 13: (Kelvin Coleman, FAA)
This podcast discussion features Kelvin Coleman, the FAA’s deputy associate administrator for commercial space transportation. His office is responsible for licensing commercial operators for space launch and re-entry. Prior to joining AST more than 20 years ago, Mr. Coleman worked for the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command as both a systems engineer, and as a…
Read MoreBiweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending October 16, 2020
It was an exciting week for the space community. The International Astronautical Congress was held virtually and achieved many important milestones for space policy, especially the signing of the Artemis Accords. In Washington, D.C., the Senate Judiciary Committee held confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. Sign Up for Space Symposium 365 Space…
Read MoreSpace Policy Pod – Episode 12: (Alexander MacDonald, NASA)
This podcast discussion features Alex Macdonald, NASA’s chief economist. He also serves as program executive of the International Space Station National Lab. He was previously the Senior Economic Advisor in the Office of the Administrator and was the founding program executive of NASA’s Emerging Space Office. Dr. Macdonald is a former executive staff specialist on…
Read MoreBiweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending October 2, 2020
On Thursday night, the Senate passed a short-term continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown. The bill extends $1.4 trillion in government funding until December 11. Earlier in the week, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing on NASA missions and programs. Sign Up for Space Symposium 365 Space Symposium 365…
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