Science and Innovation

Originally published in: Space Policy Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) is getting a crash course in the breadth and complexities of issues facing NASA and commercial space as the new chair of the House space subcommittee. With one hearing behind him, he is gearing up for more to educate himself before making up his mind on thorny issues like who should own Human Landing Systems or what agency… Read more »

Originally published in Politico CROSS BORDER ADVOCACY: The Planetary Society’s annual Day of Action on Wednesday, which traditionally only canvases the halls of Congress, included the Canadian Parliament for the first time, Brendan Curry, the chief of Washington operations at the nonprofit, told us. Nearly 150 members of the society — who are not space professionals but… Read more »

Originally published in: Space News President Joe Biden’s nomination of former senator Bill Nelson as the next administrator of NASA has won widespread support from both members of Congress and the broader space community. The White House announced March 19 its formal intent to nominate Nelson, a Democrat who served three terms in the Senate from Florida, as NASA administrator. The… Read more »

Originally published in: Space Policy Today’s second test of the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage appears to be a complete success, although engineers must review all the data before making a definitive determination. The first attempt in January ended after just 67 seconds because of conservative test parameters that were set.  Not so today. The four RS-25 engines actually… Read more »

Originally published in: Space News Satellite imaging providers last year welcomed new rules from the Commerce Department that streamlined the licensing process for private operators. The revamped regulations were intended to help U.S. remote sensing companies compete in the booming global market for space-based data.  But as the industry continues to introduce… Read more »

Originally published in: Space Policy The new chairman of the House space subcommittee thinks Congress will need to strike a balance between addressing national security and privacy concerns about commercial satellite remote sensing data yet not over-regulating the business. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) is skeptical legislation will pass anytime soon, but a hearing on the issues is a… Read more »

Originally published on DC News Now [Video Linked Here] Read more »

Originally published in: The Washington Post In his first two weeks in office, President Biden wasted no time dismantling wide swaths of Donald Trump’s legacy, revoking more than 30 orders signed by his predecessor while rejoining the Paris climate accord, ending the ban on travel from some Muslim-majority countries and halting construction on a wall at the U.S.-Mexico… Read more »

Originally published on Politico.  NASA engineers flawlessly did their job on Thursday, safely landing a rover on the surface of Mars after a journey of 130 million miles. Now, it’s up to Congress to make sure that big plans for follow-on missions become a reality. The Perseverance rover, affectionately nicknamed “Percy,” is now in place to collect Martian dust samples that… Read more »

Originally published in Space Policy Online. President Biden, Vice President Harris and a host of congressional leaders sent NASA congratulations today after the successful landing of the Mars Perseverance rover on Mars.  The car-sized rover, equipped with a helicopter and a system to collect samples for later return to Earth, survived the perilous “Seven Minutes of Terror” from the… Read more »