What’s Happening in Space Policy August 9-15, 2020
Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of August 9-15, 2020 and any insight we can offer about them. The congressional schedule is uncertain.
ULA, SpaceX Win NSSL Phase 2 Awards
The U.S. Space Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) announced this afternoon that the United Launch Alliance (ULA) and SpaceX are the two winners of the Phase 2 contracts for National Security Space Launches (NSSL). They beat out Northrop Grumman and Blue Origin in the hard fought competition for launch service contracts beginning in 2022.
More Steps Forward for Space Command and Space Force
The Senate confirmed Army Lt. Gen. James Dickinson as a General and the new Commander of U.S. Space Command today, along with four nominations for high level positions in the U.S. Space Force. Space Command was reestablished almost exactly one year ago after a 17-year hiatus. Space Force was created anew as a sixth military service in December. The confirmations mark new milestones for both as they stand up their organizations.
Tributes Pour In for NASA’s Mike Freilich
Mike Freilich, who led NASA’s earth science program for more than a decade, has lost his battle with cancer. Highly respected and admired not only in the United States but internationally, Europe named one of its satellites in his honor earlier this year. His legacy is not only the earth science satellite programs he nurtured at NASA, but his passionate advocacy for interagency and international cooperation to obtain and analyze the scientific data needed to understand and protect our changing planet.
SpaceX Scores Another Success for Starship Just Days After Crew Dragon’s Safe Return
Just two days after ushering in an era of commercial human orbital spaceflight with the splashdown of Crew Dragon, SpaceX scored another success. A brief “hop” of a prototype of its Starship vehicle — following aborts yesterday and earlier today — is one more step towards Elon Musk’s goal of building a huge rocket to take people to the Moon and Mars.
Space Weather Bill Clears Senate, Creates Pilot Program at NOAA
The Senate passed the PROSWIFT space weather bill on July 27, another step along what has been a long path for the legislation. It is a compromise with a version adopted by the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee in January that includes a provision calling for NOAA to create a commercial space weather data pilot program akin to its commercial weather data program. All that is needed now is passage by the House and a signature from the President, which would mark the end of a five-year effort.
Bob and Doug Back on Earth
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are back on Earth, completing a successful crewed flight test of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. It is the last test towards certifying the system for routine operational missions to and from the International Space Station, which are expected to begin in September.
What’s Happening in Space Policy August 2-8, 2020
Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of August 2-8, 2020 and any insight we can offer about them. The Senate is in session this week. The House schedule is uncertain.
Demo-2 Crew On Their Way Home with Flag and Tremor
The crew of SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission is on their way home after two months in space. The crewed test flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft is the last step towards certification of the vehicle for operational flights. As NASA and SpaceX officials often say, the test is not over until “Bob and Doug” — NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley — are back on terra firma.
House Passes FY2021 Appropriations for NASA, NOAA and FAA
The House passed the FY2021 funding bill that includes NASA, NOAA and the FAA today. Overall, there were only minor changes to the recommendations of the House Appropriations Committee. Efforts to add $2.6 billion to NASA’s budget and to elevate the Office of Space Commerce to the Secretary of Commerce’s office failed. The next step is action by the Senate, which has not marked up any of its FY2021 appropriations bills yet.