Weekly Roundup for SpacePolicyOnline.com: November 27-December 3, 2023

Here are links to all the articles published on SpacePolicyOnline.com last week, November 27-December 3, 2023, including our “What’s Happening in Space Policy” for this coming week. Click on each title to read the entire article.

What’s Happening in Space Policy December 3-9, 2023

December 3, 2023. Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of December 3-9, 2023 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in session this week.

GAO: 2025 Unlikely for First Artemis Landing, Maybe 2027

December 1, 2023. The Government Accountability Office’s latest report on NASA’s Artemis program is skeptical that the agency can return astronauts to the lunar surface in 2025, the current plan. If development of the Human Landing System and lunar spacesuits, both being procured as Public-Private Partnerships, follows the average timeline for NASA programs, early 2027 is more likely.

ESA Targets Summer 2024 Launch for First Artemis 6

November 30, 2023.  The European Space Agency announced today they are targeting June 15-July 31, 2024 for the first launch of Ariane 6 following a successful engine test last week. Europe is in a launch vehicle quandary right now with virtually no independent access to space after decades of relying on their own rockets. Ariane 6 is years late, but now months closer to first flight.

House Committee Clears Commercial Space Bill on Partisan, But Friendly, Vote

November 29, 2023. The House Science, Space and Technology Committee approved the Commercial Space Act today on a strictly party-line basis, but the top Republican and top Democrat on the committee agreed to work together to find common ground before the bill proceeds to a vote by the full House. Today’s action completed a markup that was sidetracked two weeks ago when the White House suddenly produced its own proposed “mission authorization” language just before the markup began.

Dragonfly Takes One Step Forward, But Only One

November 28, 2023. NASA’s Dragonfly mission to Saturn’s moon Titan is one step closer to final approval today. A dual-quadcopter that will fly over Titan’s surface, Dragonfly successfully passed a milestone review that allows it to move into final design and fabrication. NASA delayed committing to actually proceeding with the mission because of budget uncertainty, however, and slipped the projected launch date another year to 2028.

Weekly Roundup for SpacePolicyOnline.com: November 20-26, 2023

November 27, 2023. Here are links to all the articles published on SpacePolicyOnline.com last week, November 20-26, 2023, including our “What’s Happening in Space Policy” for this coming week. Click on each title to read the entire article.