Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) said today that he will introduce a “skinny” version of the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in the hopes that Congress will pass some sort of defense policy bill this year even if it is a limited version.  The House and Senate are in the midst of conference negotiations over their disparate versions of the NDAA. Inouye’s announcement signals that things are not going well and his counterpart, Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), made clear that border wall funding is the sticking point.

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United Launch Alliance (ULA) President Tory Bruno insisted today that the foreseeable national security launch market is only big enough to support two launch service providers, not three as some are advocating. Expanding the pool to three would be a “giant mistake” imperiling the financial viability of all of them. ULA is bidding on the Air Force Phase 2 contract as it gets ready to introduce its new Vulcan rocket in 2021, while flying out Atlas V and Delta IV by 2024. …

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Attending the 2019 International Astronautical  Congress (IAC2019)?  Know that bag you received when you registered?  It’s especially nifty this year, so before you decide to leave it behind, check out the details on page 30 of the General Programme book.  Or, if you’ve already pitched THAT because it weighs a ton, here’s what it says.

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The 2019 International Astronautical Congress is underway in Washington, D.C.  We are live tweeting some of the sessions, which are full of fascinating information. The best way to keep up is to follow us on Twitter @SpcPlcyOnline, but here are a sample of tweets from the first two days to convey some of the most interesting points.

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Jeff Bezos announced today that Blue Origin is teaming with Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman  and Draper on a proposal to NASA to build a human lunar lander for the Artemis program.  Blue Origin will be the prime contractor and provide the descent stage, while the other companies provide ascent and transfer stages and avionics.

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NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine sent a memo to employees today announcing creation of a “Federated Board” led by the deputy heads of three Missions Directorates — Human Exploration and Operations, Science, and Space Technology.  The Board will “ensure Agency alignment and coordination with my strategic direction and help to define and implement Agency priorities.”  It will focus on “technical integration and coordination” for the goals of “long-term lunar surface presence beyond the 2024 mission and the first human mission to the surface of Mars.”  The text of the memo is as follows.

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In a decidedly U.S.-centric speech, Vice President Mike Pence repeatedly told an international space audience today that the United States wants to be the leader of “freedom-loving” nations as humans move into deep space.  He was not specific about which countries are in or out of that category, but his tone is noticeably different from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine who constantly champions international cooperation, especially in the Artemis program.  He is hoping to sign up all of the current International Space Station partners, which include Russia, a country that some might not characterize as freedom-loving.

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A panel of academic and industry experts convened by NASA to assess the need to modernize planetary protection principles released more than 80 findings and recommendations on Friday.  Chaired by planetary scientist Alan Stern, the panel concluded that not only do existing principles need to be updated, but NASA should revisit these issues at least twice a decade as more and more knowledge is gained about the solar system and the evolution of life. The main theme is that the entire paradigm for planetary protection is changing not only due to the advent of new scientific insights, but also the emergence of commercial space activities. The government should encourage the private sector initiatives and have a transparent, predictable regulatory environment for them.

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Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of October 20-26, 2019 and any insight we can offer about them.  The House is in session Monday-Wednesday, after which it will recess so Members can participate in memorial services for the late Rep. Elijah Cummings.  The Senate is in session all week.

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The chairman of a key House appropriations subcommittee today reiterated his doubts about the need for and feasibility of getting astronauts back on the Moon by 2024.  To him, the original 2028 schedule is a better, safer, more cost effective choice. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine did not appear to make any headway convincing him the Trump Administration’s accelerated schedule is a good idea and even said there is no guarantee NASA can do it, only that it is “in the realm of possibility.”

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