Good Afternoon!
The global space community came together in Milan this week for the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), China unveiled a rock from the dark side of the moon, and national space agency leaders outlined ambitious plans for future space exploration while expressing concerns regarding Earth and the space environment.
All this and more in this edition of the Space Law, Regulation and Policy Update.
On The Hill
Articles and Quotes
The House and Senate will return on Tuesday, November 12.
Introduced Legislation
Please find our Space Legislation Tracker here.
Recent and Upcoming Congressional Hearings
October 21 - November 1, 2024
There are no upcoming congressional hearings.
In The Executive Branch
Articles and Quotes
U.S. Space Force Taps Commercial Satellites for Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief (SpaceNews)
The U.S. Space Force's Tactical Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Tracking (TacSRT) program leveraged its commercial satellite imagery and data analytics to aid disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Helene. TacSRT, a marketplace for requesting data from commercial satellite providers, gave U.S. Northern Command and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with detailed analyses of road conditions and bridge statuses, facilitating emergency operations in the southeastern United States. This pilot initiative, recently praised as filling needed operational gaps by Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, aims to enhance the responsiveness and effectiveness of ad-hoc intelligence needs.
NASA Launches Spacecraft to Gauge if Jupiter's Moon Europa Can Host Life (Reuters)
On October 14, 2024, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the Europa Clipper spacecraft to investigate whether Jupiter's moon Europa can support life. The mission aims to study the moon's ice-covered, subsurface ocean and its potential habitability and is being conducted by the largest spacecraft NASA has ever built for a planetary mission. At a prelaunch briefing, NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free noted that Europa contains some of the most promising environments in our solar system for supporting life, though the mission will not be searching for any signs of biological life.
The recent devastation caused by hurricanes in the Southeast has reignited the debate over establishing a Space National Guard as part of the U.S. Space Force. Proponents, such as John Klein of Georgetown's Center for Security Studies, argue that a dedicated space unit could enhance disaster response capabilities, leveraging satellite communications for emergency operations. Disaster relief efforts typically fall within the purview of National Guard units. Critics, including the White House and senior Pentagon officials, caution that creating such a force would be costly and add unnecessary bureaucracy to Space Force efforts.
SDA Lays Out Timeline for Buying Nearly 200 More Satellites in 2025 (Air and Space Forces)
The Space Development Agency (SDA) has outlined its procurement timeline for Tranche 3 of its low-Earth orbit megaconstellation, aiming to acquire around 200 satellites in 2025. The megaconstellation, known as the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, aims to support the Pentagon's joint all-domain command and control (JADC2) initiatives for both data transport and missile tracking. The procurement process will include multiple solicitations for different satellite capabilities, with draft solicitations expected in early 2025 and final solicitations by mid-year.
Federal Agency Space News
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA Seeks Innovative Ideas with Revamped Procurement Framework (October 16, 2024)
NASA to Embrace Commercial Sector, Fly Out Legacy Relay Fleet (October 16, 2024)
NASA Welcomes Estonia as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory (October 13, 2024)
NASA Activates Resources to Help Assess Impacts from Hurricane Milton (October 12, 2024)
NASA Highlights Low Earth Orbit, Sustainability at Space Conference (October 10, 2024)
NASA Terminal Transmits First Laser Communications Uplink to Space (October 9, 2024)
NASA Seeks Innovative Artemis Lunar Logistics, Mobility Solutions (October 8, 2024)
Mark Sonoda: Leading NASA's Path to the Commercialization of Space (October 7, 2024)
U.S. Space Force
PNT Delta Redesignated as Mission Delta 31 (October 16, 2024)
Check out below for comment opportunities, requests for proposals, notices of proposed rulemaking and a look at the week ahead in space events:
Comment Opportunities (RFIs)
Draft Text – Habitable Worlds Observatory
System Technology Demonstrations and Mission Architecture
Studies
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Close Date: Oct 23, 2024
Flight Dynamic Support Services (FDSS III)
Extension
National Aeronautics
and Space Administration
Close Date: Oct 31, 2024
NASA Communications Research
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Close Date: Nov 8, 2024
Industry Supported Battery Passivation
Techniques
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Close
Date: Nov 14, 2024
Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
Next Space Technologies for Exploration
Partnerships (NextSTEP-2) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Appendix
R: Lunar Logistics and Mobility Studies
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Close Date: Oct 22, 2024
DSS-33 Antenna and Pedestal at CDSCC
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Close Date: Oct 25, 2024
NASA Open Innovation Services 3 (NOIS3)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Close Date: Nov 1, 2024
Spaceport Operations and Center Services
(SOCS)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Close Date: Nov 8, 2024
SEWP VI Update
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Close Date: Dec 18, 2024
ROSES 2024: D.21 U.S. Contributions to Ariel
Preparatory Science
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Close Date: Feb 4, 2025
Simulation and Advanced Software Services II (SASS
II)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Close Date: Aug 12, 2025
Notices of Proposed Rulemakings (NPRMs)
There were no new notices of proposed rules.
International
Articles and Quotes
The Moon, Mars and Space Junk: World Space Agency Heads Outline Grand Plans, but Also Concerns (Space.com)
At the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan, leaders of major national space agencies, including NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and China National Space Administration (CNSA), outlined ambitious plans for future space exploration while expressing concerns regarding Earth and the space environment. Josef Aschbacher, director of the ESA highlighted the Zero Debris Charter and ongoing asteroid deflection missions. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson discussed the Artemis missions and the recent SpaceX Starship test, while President of the JAXA Hiroshi Yamakawa and the ISRO's Sreedhara Somanath emphasized lunar and asteroid mission initiatives.
Dominican Republic Signs Artemis Accords (SpaceNews)
On October 7, 2024, the Dominican Republic became the 44th nation to sign the Artemis Accords, as announced by NASA. The signing, conducted by Sonia Guzmán, the Dominican Republic's ambassador to the United States, occurred without any formal ceremony published by either NASA or the Dominican Republic. NASA officials commented on the nation's growing interest in using space and launch technologies, including weighing developing their own commercial spaceport, in solidifying their long-term economic growth plans. The Artemis Accords outline principles for safe and sustainable space activities, building on the Outer Space Treaty.
China Showcases Lunar Reach as Space Powers Meet Without Russia (Reuters)
On October 14, 2024, at the IAC in Milan, China unveiled a rock sample from the moon's far side—the first such exploit and evidence of Beijing's growing status as a space-power. The IAC, a longstanding venue for international space cooperation, occurred in the absence of traditional space power Russia amid tensions with the West. Among the record 7,200 technical abstracts submitted to the Congress, lunar exploration topics were among the most prominent. The IAC this year thus marks both increasing prevalence of the space exploration and utilization sector but also heightened tensions among global space powers.
France, Germany Join US Space Warfighting Plan 'Olympic Defender' (Breaking Defense)
On October 14, 2024, France and Germany joined the U.S. Space Command's Operation Olympic Defender, a multinational initiative aimed at optimizing space operations and enhancing the resilience of space-based systems. The program focuses on improving mission assurance, strengthening deterrence against hostile actors, and reducing space debris. Created in 2013, Olympic Defender was updated in 2018 to allow for allied participation. Australia, Britain and Canada, who joined in 2020, as well as newest member New Zealand, participated in the two nations' induction ceremonies.
Xichang to Build Commercial Spaceport to Boost China's Launch Capacity (SpaceNews)
China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center is set to build a commercial spaceport to enhance the country's launch capacity. This initiative, a collaboration between Liangshan Prefecture and Sichuan Development (Holding) Co., Ltd., aims to attract leading aerospace companies and develop a space industrial cluster. Chinese officials have described the spaceport as essential to the government's aerospace initiatives. The spaceport will support the launch of reusable, medium-lift vehicles from Chinese commercial space companies like Landspace, iSpace and Space Pioneer. China's launch rate has risen rapidly in recent years, from 22 launches in 2016 to 67 in 2023. Initiatives like the Xichang spaceport mark China's fierce efforts to grow its competitiveness in commercial space technology.
Upcoming Space Events
Silicon Valley
Space Week
Satellite Innovation
and MilSat Symposium
October 21-24, 2024
Advancing IDEA in Planetary Science
Conference
Lunar and Planetary Institute
October 21-25, 2024
Schriever Spacepower Series: Brig. Gen.
Mastalir
Mitchell Institute
October 22, 2024
NASA Heliophysics Advisory Committee
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
October 22-24, 2024
Planetary Science Technology Symposium
Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium
October 22-24, 2024
NASA Heliophysics/Astrophysics Town Hall
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
October 23, 2024
Annual Space Diplomacy Symposium
University of Washington
October 25, 2024
2024 Von Braun Space Exploration Symposium
American Astronautical Society
October 28-30, 2024
Steering Committee for Human Exploration of
Mars
National Academies
October 28-30, 2024
Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Meeting
Lunar and Planetary Institute
October 28-30, 2024
TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 – Space
Stage
Aerospace Corporation
October 28-30, 2024
New Worlds
2024
The Earthlight Foundation
November 1-2, 2024
Reinventing Space 2024
British Interplanetary Society
November 11-13
Beyond
Earth Symposium 2024
Beyond Earth Institute
November
12-13, 2024
Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium
Meeting
Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium
November 13-15, 2024
i-SAIRAS
2024
CSIRO
November 19-21, 2024
International Workshop on Space
Resources
Secure World Foundation
November 21-22, 2024
Space Debris and
Sustainability Conference
International Academy of Astronautics
December 2-4, 2024
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