Space Policy Events for the Week of September 16-20, 2013

The following events may be of interest in the week ahead.  The House and Senate both are in session this week.

During the Week

With two-and-a-half weeks to go until the beginning of the new fiscal year, there is still no sign of an agreement on keeping the government operating after September 30.   The dispute at this point is primarily among Republicans in the House.  Some, including Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) appear determined to avoid a shutdown for fear it will hurt Republican chances to retain control of the House in next year’s elections.   Others are less concerned about next year’s elections than about other high profile issues like Obamacare and want to tie any agreement on federal funding overall to defunding that program.   The sides seems pretty far apart at the moment, but anything can happen between now and Friday when Cantor has scheduled a vote on a Continuing Resolution (CR) subject to a rule being granted.  The House is scheduled to be in recess next week, but Cantor has hinted that if agreement on a CR is not reached by the end of this week, he may keep the House in session.

Apart from that high stakes political drama, in the space business many eyes will be focused on Orbital Sciences Corporation’s launch of its Antares rocket sending the Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).   The launch is currently scheduled for 10:50 am Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Wednesday, September 18, but launch dates can always slip.  Stay tuned to SpacePolicyOnline.com for updates.

Lots of other interesting meetings and congressional hearings on tap as well, as detailed below.

Monday, September 16

• Space Policy & History Forum Featuring Alan Ladwig, National Air and Space Museum (D.C. location), 4:00-5:00 pm EDT (note RSVP requirement and instructions)

Tuesday, September 17

• Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Nomination Hearing for NASA CFO Beth Robinson to Become Under Secretary of Energy, 366 Dirksen, 9:30 am EDT
• MSBR Luncheon Featuring Louis Uccellini, Director of the National Weather Service, Martin’s Crosswinds, Greenbelt, MD, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm EDT
• Space and National Security (Stimson Center), 1111 19th Street, NW, Washington, DC, 12:30-2:00 pm EDT

Tuesday-Wednesday, September 17-18

•  NASA Advisory Council (NAC) Heliophysics Subcommittee, NASA HQ, Washington, DC

Wednesday, September 18

• Launch of Antares rocket and Cygnus Spacecraft, Wallops Island, VA, 10:50 am EDT (launch window open to 11:05 am EDT)  Launch dates are always subject to change.

Thursday, September 19

• Future of Milsatcom (Marshall Inst/Space Enterprise Council), 601 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, North Building (enter on Indiana Ave), 9:00-11:00 am EDT
• SASC Nomination Hearing for Deborah Lee James to be Secretary of the Air Force, G50 Dirksen, 9:30 am EDT
• Senate Commerce Nomination Hearing for Kathy Sullivan to be NOAA Administrator, 253 Russell, 10:00 am EDT  (Also for Jo Emily Handelsman to be OSTP Associate Director for Science, and Robert Simon to be OSTP Associate Director for Environment and Energy)
• House SS&T Joint Subcmte Hearing on Dysfunction in Management of Weather and Climate Satellites, 2318 Rayburn, 10:00 am EDT
• NASA History Lecture Featuring Michael Neufeld, Natl Air & Space Museum, NASA HQ, Washington, DC, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm EDT

Friday, September 20

• House SS&T Space Sbcmte Hearing on NASA Infrastructure: Enabling Discovery and Ensuring Capability, 2318 Rayburn, 9:30 am EDT
• NAC Astrophysics Subcommittee, virtual, 2:00-3:00 pm EDT