NATIONAL SPACE COUNCIL USERS’ ADVISORY GROUP, December 2023

The White House National Space Council’s Users’ Advisory Group (UAG) met virtually on December 1, 2023.

Chaired by Gen. Les Lyles (Ret.), the Group first heard from Valda Vikmanis Keller, Director of the State Department’s Office of Space Affairs, who explained the role the State Department plays in space diplomacy and ensuring the United States upholds its obligations under international law.

The UAG’s six subcommittees then reported on their activities since the last UAG meeting in February 2023. A number of white papers have been written with findings and recommendations, one of which urges that a single agency be assigned mission authorization responsibilities for regulating new commercial space activities. That is at odds with what the Space Council itself proposed in draft legislation sent to Congress on November 15, 2023.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the UAG meeting on December 6, 2023: UAG Endorses Single Agency for Mission Authorization.