Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, introduced a stop-gap Continuing Resolution (CR) today (September 9) to fund the government through December 11, 2014.  The bill could be voted on in the House as early as Thursday.

The CR (H. J. Res. 124) generally continues funding for the government at current levels and does not include “highly controversial provisions” according to the committee’s press release.  Rogers called it a “temporary, imperfect measure” and said what is really needed is passage of the 12 regular appropriations bills.  The House has passed seven of them, but none has passed the Senate. 

The bill keeps total government spending at its current level of $1.012 trillion, but some changes are made within that total to fund new activities.  Most are related to national security, veterans affairs, customs and immigration, and responding to the Ebola crisis.  The amounts appropriated in the FY2014 appropriations bills (including for NASA, NOAA and DOD) are reduced by 0.0554 percent presumably to pay for those new activities. 

Two space-related provisions would allow funding flexibility for weather satellite programs and extension of the authorization for the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank through June 30, 2015.  Despite the press release’s assertion that the CR does not contain highly controversial provisions, reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank is a topic of strong debate.  The bank helps finance U.S. exports of manufactured goods and services.   From a space policy standpoint, organizations like the Aerospace Industries Association argue that Ex-Im bank financing is critical to support exports of satellites, for example, and reauthorization is needed.  Opponents argue that it distorts the free market by the government picking winners and losers.  The bank’s current authorization expires on September 30.

The House and Senate are both hoping to complete must-pass legislative business by the end of next week or shortly thereafter so members can return to the campaign trail.  That does not necessarily mean smooth sailing for the CR.  Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), for one, has said that he wants to include language to block President Obama from taking action on immigration using executive action.  Cruz is widely criticized or praised, depending on one’s point of view, for last year’s 16-day government shutdown. Whether he would attempt that again in an election year is an open question.  He has been quoted in recent days as saying he does not want another shutdown, but that was before his comments today that “we should use any and all means necessary to prevent the president from illegally granting amnesty.”

Here is our list of space policy-related events on tap for the week of September 8-12, 2014 and any insight we can offer about them.  Congress returns to work on Monday.

During the Week

Congress returns from its summer break this week.   Between now and the end of the fiscal year (FY) on September 30, the House is scheduled to be in session for eight days and the Senate for ten.   That is certainly enough time for them to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government operating when FY2015 begins on October 1 if agreement can be reached.   Republican leaders on both sides of Capitol Hill insist that they do not want another government shutdown like last year, so that bodes well, but one never knows until a bill is passed and signed into law.   House Speaker Boehner has said he plans to pass a bill to fund the government through early December — past the November election.  “Possible” consideration of a CR is on the House schedule this week.

The Space Subcommittee of the House Science, Space and Technology (SST) Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday on the ASTEROIDS Act introduced by Reps. Bill Posey (R-FL) and Derek Kilmer (D-WA).  The bill would grant property rights to materials mined from asteroids by U.S. companies (though not property rights to the asteroid itself).   Four scientists and one expert on space law will testify.  The issue of property rights in space has been debated vigorously for decades on a theoretical basis, with opinions strongly held on what is or is not allowed under the terms of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, to which the United States and 101 other countries are party.  The legislation and this hearing provide an opportunity to address the issue from a more focused perspective.

The first meeting of the National Research Council’s new Space Technology Industry, Government, University Roundtable (STIGUR) is on Thursday.  Note that it is at the NAS building on Constitution Avenue, not the Keck Center on 5th Street.   Chaired by Lockheed Martin Chief Technology Officer Ray Johnson, STIGUR is a forum for dialogue about NASA’s space technology efforts.

Those and other events we know about as of Sunday morning are listed below. 

Monday, September 8

• NASA Briefing on Earth Science Payloads Headed to ISS, virtual (watch on NASA TV), 1:00  pm ET

Monday-Friday, September 8-12

• Euroconsult World Satellite Business Week, Westin Hotel, Paris, FR
  • Summit on Satellite Financing, September 8-10
  • Symposium on Market Forecasts, September 11 
  • Summit on Earth Observation Business, September 11-12

Tuesday, September 9

• WIA Breakfast Featuring AF Chief Scientist Mica Endsley, Ritz Carlton Pentagon City, Arlington, VA, 8:00-9:30 am ET
• NASA International Space Station Advisory Committee, NASA HQ, Washington, DC, 1:00-2:00 pm ET
• ISU-DC Space Café Featuring NRL’s Jill Dahlburg, The Science Bluc, 1136 19th Street, NW, Washington, DC, 7:00 pm ET

Tuesday-Friday, September 9-12

• AMOS 2014 Conference, Maui, Hawaii

Wednesday, September 10

• House SS&T Subcommittee Hearing on the ASTEROiDS Act, 2318 Rayburn, 10:00 am ET
• Soyuz TMA-12M Landing, Kazakhstan, 10:25 pm ET (8:25 am September 11 local time at the landing site)  NASA TV coverage of the landing begins at 9:15 pm ET

Thursday, September 11

• National Research Council (NRC) Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB) Space Technology Roundtable, National Academy of Sciences building, 2101 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm ET
• Lecture by Wayne Hale on Changing the Culture of Human Spaceflight, Rice University, Houston, TX, 7:00 pm CT

Friday, September 12

NASA Advisory Council (NAC) Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Subcommittee on Research, NASA HQ, Washington, DC, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm ET

 

Here is our list of space policy-related events for the next TWO weeks, September 1-12, 2014 and any insight we can offer about them.  Congress returns on September 8.

During the Weeks

This coming Wednesday and Thursday (September 3-4), two committees that guide NASA’s astrobiology and planetary science activities will meet at the same time, although offset by three hours since one is on the East Coast and the other is on the West Coast.  The NASA Advisory Council’s Planetary Science Subcommittee (NAC/PSS) provides tactical advice to NASA, while the National Research Council’s (NRC’s) Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science (CAPS) is an NRC standing committee that cannot formally give “advice,” but provides strategic guidance.  NAC/PSS is meeting at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, while CAPS is meeting at the NRC’s Beckman Center in Irvine, CA.  Both committees usually get briefings from many of the same NASA officials to inform their deliberations, so they have arranged to have portions of the meetings held jointly via videoconference.  (The joint sessions are shown on the CAPS agenda, but not on the NAC/PSS agenda. at least as of today).

NASA has made no official announcement, but its decision on the winner(s) of the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCAP) contract(s) could be revealed this week.  Rumors that the agency would announce its choice(s) in late August proved unfounded.  NASA itself has been vague all along, saying it would happen in “late August or early September.”

Next week, on September 8, Congress returns.  The House and Senate will have just over three weeks to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government funded when FY2015 begins on October 1.  House and Senate Republican leaders are vowing that there will be no government shutdown this year.  The House is scheduled to be in session September 8-11, September 16-19, and September 29 – October 2 before recessing for the elections.  The Senate will be in session September 8-12 and September 15-19, with its schedule for the remainder of the month TBA.

No space-related hearings have been announced for September yet, but that could change as everyone gets back into the swing of things.   

Meanwhile, here are the meetings we know about for September 1-12, 2014 as of Sunday morning, August 31.   Enjoy the Labor Day weekend!

Wednesday-Thursday, September 3-4

• NASA Advisory Council Planetary Science Subcommittee (NAC/PSS), NASA HQ, Washington, DC, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm ET both days
• National Research Council Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science (CAPS), NRC Beckman Center, Irvine, CA
     
• NAC/PSS and CAPS will have joint sessions via videconference each day (see the CAPS agenda)

Monday, September 8

• Congress returns from recess

Monday-Friday, September 8-12

• Euroconsult World Satellite Business Week, Paris FR
  • Summit for Satellite Financing, September 8-10
  • Symposium on Market Forecasts, September 11
  • Summit on Earth Observation Business, September 11-12

Tuesday, September 9

• WIA Breakfast featuring Air Force Chief Scientist Mica Endsley, Rtiz-Carlton Pentagon City, Arlington, VA, 8:00 am – 9:30 pm ET
• NASA International Space Station Advisory Committee, NASA HQ, Washington, DC, 1:00-2:00 pm ET

Tuesday-Wednesday, September 9-10

• AMOS 2014 Conference, Maui, Hawaii

Wednesday, September 10

• Soyuz TMA-12M landing, Kazakhstan, 10:24 pm ET (September 11 local time at the landing site)

Thursday, September 11

• National Research Council (NRC) Space Technology Industry-Government-University Roundtable (STIGUR), National Academy of Sciences building, 2101 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm ET
• Changing the Culture of Human Spaceflight Lecture by Wayne Hale, Rice University, Houston, TX, 7:00 pm CT

Friday, September 12

• NASA Advisory Council (NAC) HEO Research Subcommittee, NASA HQ, Washington, DC, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm ET

UPDATE, August 25:  Adds the two panel discussions today (Monday, August 25) at NASA re the New Horizons mission to Pluto.

August 24, 2014: Here is our list of space policy-related events for the next TWO weeks, August 25-September 5, 2014, and any insight we can offer about them.  Congress returns on September 8.

During the Weeks

The schedule is light for the next two weeks, but the National Research Council (NRC) is hard at work, with meetings of one of its study committees this week and one of its standing committees the following week.  The NASA Advisory Council’s (NAC’s) Planetary Science Subcommittee also will meet the following week.

The NRC study committee — Survey of Surveys: Lessons Learned from the Decadal Survey Process — will meet in public session on Monday and Tuesday (check the agenda for the most recent information on exactly when the open sessions will take place).  NRC Decadal Surveys are the “bibles” used by NASA and highly valued by Congress in setting priorities for NASA’s space and earth science programs.  (Some of the Surveys also advise additional agencies like NSF and NOAA.)   The most recent versions have encountered challenges in implementation, however, because of sharply changed budgetary realities between the time the study begins and when it ends, usually about two years later. The agencies tell each Decadal Survey committee at the outset what budget “wedge” they expect to have in the next 10 years (a decade) to begin new programs. The committees use that guidance in formulating recommendations on what programs to initiate to answer the top scientific questions they identify.  The most recent Decadal Surveys have included “decision rules” on what to do if there is significantly less (or more, as unlikely as that is) money than they are told and NASA, at least, has had to utilize those decision rules a lot lately.  This new NRC committee is looking at how to make the next round of Decadal Surveys more effective in guiding the agencies in these ever-changing times.

The NRC standing committee that is meeting the first week of September is the Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science (CAPS).  Curiously, the NAC Planetary Science Subcommittee is meeting at exactly the same time (September 3-4).  The meetings are on opposite coasts.  Both advise NASA on its planetary science programs — the NRC provides strategic advice while the NAC subcommittee provides tactical advice — so they do look at the programs from different perspectives.  They often get briefings from the same NASA people, though, so this must be an interesting scheduling exercise.  Neither has posted their agendas yet.

Here is what we know about as of Sunday evening, August 24.

Monday, August 25

• Two NASA panel discussions re the New Horizons mission to Pluto, NASA HQ, Washington DC (watch on NASA TV)
  • Panel 1:  1:00 – 2:00 pm ET
  • Panel 2:  2:00-3:00 pm ET

Monday-Wednesday, AUGUST 25-27

• National Research Council (NRC) Survey of Surveys Committee, NRC Keck Center, 500 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC (some sessions are closed, see agenda)

Wednesday-Thursday, SEPTEMBER 3-4

• NASA Advisory Council (NAC) Planetary Science Subcommittee, NASA HQ, Washington, DC, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm ET both days
• National Research Council (NRC) Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science (CAPS), NRC Beckman Center, Irvine, CA (some sessions may be closed, see agenda)

UPDATE:  We’ve added the Ancient Earth, Ancient Aliens event on August 20, which we just found out about..

Here is our list of space policy-related events for the next TWO weeks, August 18-29, 2014, and any insight we can offer about them.  Congress returns on September 8.

During the Weeks

At last, things have quieted down for these last two weeks of August.   Perhaps what is most interesting is what’s NOT on the calendar — two U.S. spacewalks from the ISS that were supposed to take place in addition to the Russian spacewalk tomorrow.   NASA is still recovering from the alarming failure last summer when water filled Luca Parmitano’s spacesuit helmet while he was out on a spacewalk.  NASA determined that a blocked filter caused the problem and replaced the filters on the spacesuits and added other safety features, but still has not approved routine U.S. spacewalks.  Only contingency spacewalks required to address specific issues are allowed.  Two were scheduled for August 21 and August 29, but NASA postponed them because of concerns about the spacesuit batteries.  The next SpaceX cargo resupply flight on September 19 will deliver replacements and the spacewalks will be rescheduled.  NASA officials reportedly met last week to review whether to resume routine spacewalks, but the agency has not issued any press statements to that effect yet.

The Russians have their own spacesuits, Orlan, and are not affected by the concerns about the U.S. suits.   Oleg Artemyev and Alexander Skvortsov will perform a 6.5 hour spacewalk — or extravehicular activity (EVA) — to retrieve two experiments on the exterior of the ISS and install two new ones, and deploy a nanosatellite.  NASA TV coverage begins at 9:30 am ET.

That and other events during the next two weeks that we know about as of Sunday morning are listed below.

Monday, August 18

• Russian Spacewalk at ISS, NASA TV coverage begins at 9:30 am ET

Tuesday, August 19

• MSBR Luncheon Featuring NASA’s Mike Gazarik, Martin’s Crosswinds, Greenbelt, MD, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm ET

Wednesday, August 20

• ESA Pre-Launch Press Briefing for upcoming launch of next Galileo satellites, AUDIO ONLY, 13:00 CEST (7:00 am ET) [contact ESA media relations by August 18 for dial-in instructions]
• NASA-NSF-Smithsonian Panel on Ancient Earth, Ancient Aliens, NASA HQ auditorium, Washington, DC, 5:30-6:30 pm ET

Monday-Wednesday, August 25-27

• NRC Committee on Survey of Surveys: Lessons Learned from the Decadal Survey Process, NRC Keck Center, 500 5th St., NW, Washington, DC (some sessions are closed — see agenda for details)

The Space Data Association (SDA) has reached a data sharing agreement with U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) to enhance space situational awareness.  SDA’s members include several of the world’s major commercial satellite operators who share certain data with each other to avoid in-orbit collisions.  USSTRATCOM is the first non-satellite operator to sign an agreement with the group.

SDA was founded by three of the largest commercial communications satellite operators — Intelsat, Inmarsat and SES — after the 2009 collision between an operating Iridium communications satellite (Iridium 33) and a defunct Russian military communications satellite (Cosmos 2251).  The collision added to the population of space debris in low Earth orbit, which had increased significantly two years earlier following a Chinese antisatellite (ASAT) test that created about 3,000 pieces of debris. 

The Chinese ASAT test and the Iridium-Cosmos collision raised the profile of the problems posed by space debris and the need for countries and companies to work together to ensure that Earth orbit will remain usable in the future.  Space Situational Awareness (SSA) refers to the goal of knowing where everything is in Earth orbit and where it’s going. (Some definitions add the goal of knowing what each satellite is doing).  It is one element of President Obama’s 2010 National Space Policy. 

SDA created a mechanism for its members to share data on the locations of their satellites and any plans to reposition them that avoids revealing sensitive information yet contributes to SSA and the broader goal of “space sustainability.”   For several years it has been seeking agreement with the Department of Defense to access data from the Joint Space Operations Center (JSPoC), which tracks objects in Earth orbit for the U.S. government, predicts when they will decay from orbit, and conducts “conjunction analyses” to determine if a collision is likely.  JSPoC is part of the Joint Functional Component Command for Space (JFCC Space) under USSTRATCOM.  It is currently tracking more than 17,000 objects in Earth orbit of which approximately 4,000 are functioning payloads or satellites, 2,000 are rocket bodies, and 11,000 are debris/inactive satellites according to its space-track.org website.  

In addition to concern about physical collisions between space objects, there is growing concern about electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radiofrequency interference (RFI), particularly intentional jamming of satellite frequencies by countries that object to certain programming or otherwise choose to interfere with the transmissions.

SDA called the agreement a “critical milestone” that allows the two organizations to formally collaborate on SSA issues including EMI and RFI.  The agreement creates “a framework to exchange data,” SDA President Ron Busch said in an August 8 press release, and is an acknowledgment by USSTRATCOM that “collaboration can enhance” SSA.

The Secure World Foundation (SWF) is a champion of SSA and space sustainability.  Brian Weeden, SWF’s technical advisor and a former Air Force officer who worked at JSPoC, said via email that “This agreement could be a major step forward, but as always the devil is in the details and right now we don’t have many details.”  

SDA announced the agreement in a press release; USSTRATCOM does not appear to have made a public announcement.

 

 

Here is our list of space policy-related events for August 11-15, 2014 and any insight we can offer about them.  Congress will return on September 8.

During the Week

Lots going on this week, even though it’s August and everyone should be on vacation or getting the kids ready to go back to school (smile)!  Tough to say what’s of greatest interest.  The Comet Siding Spring (C/2013 A1) workshop is definitely on the list.   (Siding Spring is the name of the observatory in Australia where the comet was discovered.)Thanks to the organizers for arranging for it to be livestreamed so anyone can tune in.  The comet will fly within 130,000 kilometers of the Martian surface on October 19 and spacecraft in orbit around or on the surface of Mars should be able to get a close look and  the workshop is to discuss those opportunities. Not TOO close of course!  There’s a bit of concern that systems on orbiting spacecraft could potentially be damaged by the comet’s dust.  NASA’s Mars Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are in orbit already along with ESA’s Mars Express.  NASA’s newest Mars probe, MAVEN, will arrive just before the comet, as will India’s Mars Orbiting Mission (MOM).  NASA already has been adjusting the orbits of its spacecraft so they will be on the opposite side of Mars during the 20 minute period when the dust is expected to be most intense. 

Michael Lopez-Alegria’s talk at the ISU-DC Space Café on Tuesday evening also should be good.   A former astronaut, he has been President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) for the past two years and is about to move on to new horizons.  His insights comparing the commercial and government space sectors and dealing with the White House and Congress should be thought provoking.

Those and other events we know about as of Sunday afternoon are listed below.

Monday, August 11

• Comet Siding Spring Observer’s Workshop, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (APL), Laurel, MD, 8:45 am – 6:00 pm ET (will be livestreamed)

Monday-Tuesday, August 11-12

• NASA Advisory Council (NAC) Astrophysics Subcommittee, NASA HQ, Washington, DC, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm ET both days

Monday-Thursday, August 11-14

• Space and Missile Defense (SMD) Symposium, Von Braun Center, Huntsville, AL

Tuesday, August 12

• ESA’s ATV-5 docks with ISS, low Earth orbit, approximately 9:30 am ET (watch on NASA TV beginning at 8:00 am ET)
• ISU-DC Space Café Featuring CSF’s Michael Lopez-Alegria, The Science Club, 1136 19th St., NW, Washington, DC, 7:00 pm ET

Wednesday-Thursday, August 13-14

• U.S. Strategic Command Deterrence Symposium, LaVista, Nebraska