Category: Uncategorized

What’s Happening in Space Policy November 24-December 7, 2024

What’s Happening in Space Policy November 24-December 7, 2024

Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the next two weeks, November 24-December 7, 2024, and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in recess this week except for pro forma sessions and will return for legislative business next week.

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Artemis and the New Administration

Artemis and the New Administration

As the NASA community ponders how the agency, especially the Artemis program, may fare in the second Trump Administration, one industry veteran is suggesting a new policy approach: have NASA focus on validating whether there really is the possibility of an economically self-sustaining presence on the Moon. That prospect underpins the excitement about Artemis, but NASA just canceled the one project that would have started answering that question — VIPER.

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FAA Reschedules Public Hearings on SpaceX’s Plans for More Launches from Boca Chica

FAA Reschedules Public Hearings on SpaceX’s Plans for More Launches from Boca Chica

On the heels of SpaceX’s largely successful Starship test flight yesterday, the FAA has released a revised draft environmental assessment of SpaceX’s proposal to increase the cadence of launches at its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, TX. An original version was released earlier this year and public meetings were scheduled to obtain input, but the FAA canceled them after learning of allegations that SpaceX violated clean water regulations. Those issues apparently have been resolved. The public may submit comments on the revised draft beginning today and the meetings are rescheduled for January.

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No Catch This Time, But IFT-6 Advances Starship Development

No Catch This Time, But IFT-6 Advances Starship Development

SpaceX’s sixth Starship Integrated Flight Test, IFT-6, may not have thrilled everyone with another spectacular booster catch, but the hour-long mission demonstrated advancements in the vehicle’s performance that pushes it another step along the path to eventual operational flights.

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Weekly Roundup for SpacePolicyOnline.com: November 11-17, 2024

Weekly Roundup for SpacePolicyOnline.com: November 11-17, 2024

Here are links to all the articles published on SpacePolicyOnline.com from November 11-17, 2024 including our “What’s Happening in Space Policy” for this coming week. Click on each title to read the entire article.

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What’s Happening in Space Policy November 17-24, 2024

What’s Happening in Space Policy November 17-24, 2024

Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of November 17-24, 2024 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in session this week.

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Two Senate Space Leaders Call for Investigation into Musk-Putin Relationship

Two Senate Space Leaders Call for Investigation into Musk-Putin Relationship

Two Democratic Senators with considerable influence over space program policy and spending are urging an investigation into reports that Elon Musk is in contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite U.S. sanctions against Putin.  They also are concerned about DOD’s “overreliance” on SpaceX for national security space activities.

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U.S., Russia Disagree on Causes, Risks of Leaks on ISS

U.S., Russia Disagree on Causes, Risks of Leaks on ISS

A U.S.-Russian Joint Commission that reviews safety on the International Space Station was not able to reach agreement on what is causing air leaks on the Russian segment of the ISS or the potential risks. Meeting in September in Moscow, Russian and NASA members of the Joint Commission saw the situation quite differently. NASA considers the risks to be much higher than Russia and is implementing preventive measures when the hatch to the area where the leaks are occuring is open.

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A Second Round of Layoffs at JPL

A Second Round of Layoffs at JPL

JPL Director Laurie Leshin announced another workforce reduction today, the second this year. Cuts to NASA’s overall science budget due to the Fiscal Responsibility Act coupled with uncertainty about the future of the Mars Sample Return mission are deeply affecting the laboratory, but Leshin said she believes they will be at a “more stable” level now.

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Weekly Roundup for SpacePolicyOnline.com: November 4-10, 2024

Weekly Roundup for SpacePolicyOnline.com: November 4-10, 2024

Here are links to all the articles published on SpacePolicyOnline.com from November 4-10, 2024 including our “What’s Happening in Space Policy” for this coming week. Click on each title to read the entire article.

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