Space Policy
Space Policy Pod – Episode 7: (Tommaso Sgobba, International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety)
This podcast discussion features Tommaso Sgobba, Executive Director and Board Secretary of the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS). Until 2013, Mr. Sgobba was head of the Independent Safety Office at the European Space Agency (ESA), including human-rated systems, spacecraft re-entries, space debris, use of nuclear power sources, and planetary protection. He…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending July 24, 2020
For the international space community, this summer, and especially this week have been heavily focused on Mars. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched their historic Hope mission earlier this week from Japan, followed by China’s Tianwen-1 launch. Next week will be NASA’s highly anticipated launch of the Perseverance rover with the mission having cleared its…
Space Policy Pod – Episode 6: (Shawn Barnes, U.S. Air Force)
This podcast discussion features Shawn Barnes, a member of the Senior Executive Service, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Space Acquisition and Integration. Mr. Barnes is responsible for carrying out Air Force space missions and integrating space policy, guidance, coordination and synchronization of space-related activities, and issue resolution for the Department of the Air Force.…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending July 10, 2020
It was another busy markup week for House appropriators following last week’s House Armed Services Committee’s full markup of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act. For the space industry, the focus was on the FY2021 Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee appropriations bill for NASA and other agencies. For many appropriators, such as Reps. Jose Serrano (D-NY),…
Space Policy Pod – Episode 5: Bhavya Lal
This podcast features an engaging discussion with IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute expert Dr. Bhavya Lal. Dr. Lal leads strategy, technology assessment, and policy studies and analyses at the IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Space Council, and federal space-oriented organizations including…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending June 26, 2020
This week, both the House and Senate were in session for committee markups and hearings. A text of the Senate’s $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill (S. 4049) was released, and the Senate is expected to take procedural votes on the bill with debates to continue through next week, with the goal of…
Space Policy Pod – Episode 4: John Paul (JP) Parker
This podcast takes an inside look at the intelligence community space enterprise with senior executive John Paul (JP) Parker. Mr. Parker is a Senior National Intelligence Service officer serving as Intelligence Community Space Executive, a newly formed office designed to increase collaboration, integration and innovation throughout the IC space enterprise. Previously, Mr. Parker was Special…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending June 12, 2020
In recent weeks, Washington, D.C., has been the setting of numerous protests against racial discrimination and police brutality. In Congress, House Democrats are working to secure supporters for a new police reform bill. Much of the bill was drafted by the Congressional Black Caucus, with Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) as the lead whip, and the…
Space Policy Pod – Episode 3: Stephen L. Kitay
This episode features Stephen L. Kitay, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy. Kitay, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is responsible for establishing policy and guidance to assure U.S. and allied warfighters the benefits of space capabilities and to help guide the Department’s strategy for addressing space-related issues. He also leads Departmental…
Biweekly Washington, D.C., Update for the Week Ending May 29, 2020
Washington, D.C., along with the rest of the world, tuned in Wednesday to watch the SpaceX Demo-2 launch return astronauts to space from U.S. soil for the first time since 2011. Due to uncooperative weather that day, the world now eagerly awaits the rescheduled launch on Saturday, May 30 at 3:22 EDT. Today, the District…