Space Policy Archives

Above the Fold: Space Issues to Watch in 2023

In China, 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit. Of the twelve animals, it is regarded as the luckiest and symbolizes mercy and elegance. People born in this year avoid arguing and fighting. As one contemplates the major space issues facing the new Congress and the Biden-Harris administration, a realist must accept that it is likely they will be debated . . .

ISS Damage Triggers Apparent Détente Between United States, Russian Federation

Trouble on the International Space Station (ISS) may have thawed relations between Russia and the United States. The two nations overcame tensions in January for a Moscow summit on resolving problems aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to bring home astronauts who were scheduled to fly aboard the capsule damaged by a micrometeorite.

New Leader Takes Space Force Helm as Dangers in Orbit Loom

Pentagon leaders emphasized the growing importance of missions in orbit Wednesday as they welcomed the second general to command the Space Force. The new chief of space operations, Gen. Chance Saltzman, pledged to get his young service ready for war.

November Space Council Meetings Could Shape Commercial Regulations

The National Space Council asked for comment on new commercial space systems and how the commercial space sector could be regulated during a pair of online meetings set for November. The council wants input from industry and the public. The move is part of a Biden Administration push to deal with issues including crowded orbits and the safety of space tourists.

2021 TSRQ4 – Leaders Look Up, Look Forward to 2022 and a New Year in Space

As a new year in orbit dawns, The Space Report sought a glimpse at the year ahead from aerospace industry leaders, lawmakers and experts.

2021 TSRQ4 – Analysis: Legal Barriers Complicate Future in Orbit

As spacefaring nations grow more active in space exploration, the idea of a peaceful exploration and use of outer space starts to fade in the absence of international rules.

2021 TSRQ3 – Getting Along on a Busy Moon

By 2024, NASA intends to land astronauts including the first female on the Moon. The Artemis program is an exciting opportunity for the space industry and all humankind to settle in deep space within the next decades. Even more exciting, the United States is not the only nation venturing into this expanding frontier. . .

The Role Of Intellectual Property In Space Innovation

As the exponential growth of commercial space looms, this is a good time to survey several critical aspects of intellectual property (IP) as an enabler of innovation in commercial space. This article begins with a review of the vital role of. . .

2020 TSRQ4: Space Policy 2020 – Global Highlights: Collaboration, Situational Awareness, Debris Tracking, and Private Growth Dominate

In 2020, many significant events influenced policy across the global space community. In the United States, new policy directives, along with the results of the 2020 election. . .

2020 TSRQ1 – As Orbiting Debris Increases, New Technologies Emerge for Tracking, Capturing

As Space Debris Piles Up and Satellite Deployments Grow, Calls for Space Tracking Mount

Relative to the vastness of space, the near collision was frighteningly close. On Jan. 29, 2020, a decommissioned U.S. space telescope and a U.S. experimental payload were hurtling toward each other over Pittsburgh.