Space Policy

Terraform Mars?

2005-02-07T07:30:00.000-05:00

A recent Space.com article revisits the notion of terraforming the red planet. The notion of modifying our second closest planetary neighbor is certainly seductive. Atmospheric heat trap techniques offer a relatively cost effective means of accomplishing the task.

The concept raises some thorny ethical questions that must be addressed before we start thinking of Mars as a second Earth. Unlike Venus, which harbors no possibility of life, the Martian environment still holds out the possibility that native organisms continue to exist either on or beneath the surface. Should terraforming be prevented by the possibility of life? If single celled organisms are discovered, does that pose an insurmountable ethical barrier to terraforming?

Space Policy Internship Available

2005-02-02T07:30:00.000-05:00

The National Academies Space Studies Board is looking for an undergraduate Summer intern to assist on one or more projects relating to issues of space policy. The deadline for the application is February 18th.

If you have any thoughts of a career in space policy, this is definitely worth considering. It's the sort of thing I wish had been available when I was in college.

Space Agency Heads Meet

2005-01-27T19:10:00.000-05:00

The heads of the primary space agencies involved in the construction of the ISS met today in Montreal. They reaffirmed their commitment to station construction but it remained unclear how many shuttle flights would be committed to construction before the spacecraft is retired.

MD Representative Joins The Hubble Fray

2005-01-25T22:36:00.000-05:00

Maryland congressman Steny Hoyer, following the example of Senator Mikulski, has made clear his opposition to the elination of funds for Hubble servicing.

Senator Vows Hubble Fight

2005-01-25T18:10:00.000-05:00

In a recent press release from her office, Senator Barbara Mikulski declared that she will lead the fight to restore money dedicated to the Hubble servicing mission.

Commercial Space Conference

2005-01-23T19:00:00.000-05:00

The FAA is holding its 8th annual Commercial Space Transportation Conference at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington D.C. on February 10th and 11th. Early registration rates for the conference are in effect through January 28th.

Panel topics include:
X Prize and Beyond
Emergent ELV Technologies
Pencils to Rockets: Educating Tomorrow’s Engineer
Regulating Outside the Box
Space and Air Traffic Management
Commercial Human Space Flight: Making It Possible

White House Cancels Hubble Rescue

2005-01-21T17:06:00.000-05:00

Recent reports indicate the White House has eliminated funding for a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope from its 2006 budget request and directed NASA to concentrate solely on de-orbiting the craft at the end of its operational life.

Though this might have been anticipated given the stated human exploration priorities, it is nonetheless a great loss for the astronomical sciences given that there will be no comparable visible light instrument available in the forseeable future. The Webb telescope program will not address the same portions of the spectrum and terrestrial based telescopes with adaptive optics are limited to those regions of the sky that have a suitable guide star for calibrating the moment to moment changes necessary for effective operation.

AAS Endorses NRC Report On Hubble

2005-01-20T19:32:00.000-05:00

American Astronomical Society has endorsed the National Research Council Report on "The Assessment of Options for Extending the Life of Hubble Space Telescope", which calls for a servicing mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope using astronauts and the space shuttle instead of a repair mission based upon teleoperation.

Space Agency Heads To Discuss ISS

2005-01-20T19:19:00.000-05:00

The top officials for the space agencies of the U.S., Europe, Russia, Canada and Japan, will be meeting in Montreal, Canada on January 26th to discuss matters of cooperation with regard to the International Space Station with particular focus on assembly issues.

March Storm 2005

2005-01-17T10:33:00.000-05:00

ProSpace has issued the details regarding March Storm, the annual space oriented lobbying push in the halls of Congress. The event will take place March 6-9 (Sunday through Wednesday), with training on Sunday and Congressional lobbying on Monday through Wednesday. This year's program will cover will cover "regulation, prizes, investment incentives and private sector involvement in civic exploration efforts."

Participation in March Storm is easy and a great way to have your voice heard on space issues.

3 New X Prize Board Members

2005-01-16T07:55:00.000-05:00

It seems success does breed success. The X PRIZE Foundation has announced the election of three new members to its Board of Trustees: Larry Page, co-founder and president of Google, Inc.; Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and co-founder and CEO of PayPal; and Jack Bader, CEO of NetEffects, Inc. These new members will add considerable financial clout to the organization in the wake of Rutan's capture of the $10 million prize last year.

New Traffic Exchange

2005-01-15T14:37:00.001-05:00

For those who haven't yet heard the news, there is a new blog exchange on the block. It's called Blog Clicker and it looks like another good way to expand traffic to your web log. Check it out.

Space Exploration Policy Institute?

2005-01-12T17:20:00.000-05:00

In the wake of the report by the President's Commission on Implementation of U.S. Space Exploration Policy, NASA is soliciting information as a prelude to awarding a contract in connection with the Commission's recommendations.

Specifcally, the Commission recommended that the federal government:

• increase the priority of teacher training - provide for better integration of existing math, science, and engineering education initiatives across governments, industries, and professional organizations; and

• explore options to create a university-based space academy for training the next generation technical work force.

As a prelude to a formal request for proposal that would implement the recommendations, NASA is looking for feedback on the objectives.

In addition to general comments, NASA is seeking information on the following items:

• Schedule/Length of contract
• How long to put together this model?
• Contract type ? NASA is currently contemplating a fixed price contract.
• Challenges associated with the scope of work including partnerships
• Potential cost including the variables that impact cost
• NASA is also seeking ideas on establishing an institute for the study of space exploration policy. This institute would collect a number of interdisciplinary skills from science, engineering, public management and public policy, among others. This new entity would be a resource that could synergistically apply its various expertise to significant space policy matters.

Comments should be submitted via email to Karen Smith at Karen.M.Smith@nasa.gov. Responses should include an executive summary and be limited to no more than 20 pages.

Calvert Likely New Committee Chair

2005-01-11T06:45:00.000-05:00

It has been reported in The Riverside Press-Enterprise that Ken Calvert (Republican, California) is expected to take over as the Chair of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee of the House Science Committee.

Spy Satellite Controversy

2005-01-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

Recently, U.S. senators have shed light on the classified Misty program - a spy satellite project designed to elude detection while in orbit.

These events have raised a number of interesting policy questions:

1. Is it appropriate for government officials to make unilateral judgments with regard to classified material? Presumably the answer is yes given that the entire concept of declassification is dependent upon individuals in government making decisions with regard to classified material. Perhaps a more appropriate question is whether or not the legislative branch (and these specific members of the legislative branch) should be able to make this decision. The entire controversy highlights the inherent tension between the need for secrecy with regard to military development and the countervailing need for disclosure as a mechanism for effective oversight.

2. Now that Misty is effectively "out of the black," does the program itself make sense given the current geopolitical situation? The Misty satellites themselves are less capable than the current crop of spysats. While having equipment that can not be predicted or tracked is certainly a plus when faced with imaging mobile or otherwise obscurable targets, does the immense cost overcome the modest advantage in a post cold war environment where most adversaries lack the rudimentary ability to track conventional spy satellites? Can less expensive, atmospheric systems, such as drones, take up much of the tactical responsibilities of the Misty program?

Demise of US / Russia Space Relationship?

2005-01-05T17:00:00.000-05:00

Martin Sieff opines that the cordial space relationship between the United States and Russia is unravelling as a result of recent friction on issues such as the fight over the election in the Ukraine.

While recent political conflicts are certainly making things a bit more difficult for space operations, such a case can be easily overstated - if only because mutual need has obscured the persistently tenuous relationship between these two space powers. Since the end of the Cold War, Russia has ssen space operations as a means of gaining hard currency through one of its few world class industries while the US had an interest in keeping the former USSR's space scientists employed on civilian projects. As the Russian economy has improved, the incentives for the Russian government have declined while the American administration has for some time been gazing at most policy issues through the anti-terrorism lens. The refocusing of the long term NASA mission towards exploration goals probably has not helped the relationship either given the perception that Russia can be the most help to the much maligned International Space Station.

Institutional Fortitude?

2004-12-27T21:00:00.000-05:00

Robert Zimmerman, in his commentary "Space and the Willingness to Die," recounts the courage embodied by the Apollo astronauts and their families and suggests that similar levels of courage will be needed in the future with regard to those flying on the shuttle and on the new class of suborbital tourist flights.

I'm not certain, however, that we need to question whether the bravery of today's crop of astronauts can measure up to the courage of those during the heydays of Apollo. I for one don't doubt the individual bravery of those who choose a career in, or even a pricey thrill ride into, space. The real question is whether our institutions have the courage to stay the course even in the face of future accidents. Without the overwhelming impetus of the Cold War, will Congress be able to resist the pressure to restrict government sponsored human spaceflight or overregulate private space activity?

Space Tourism Bill Now Law

2004-12-26T07:40:00.000-05:00

It's official. The Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act, H.R. 5382, was signed into law on Thursday.

Bigelow Aerospace Interview

2004-12-22T17:55:00.000-05:00

For a good look at the current thinking on space markets at Bigelow Aerospace, check out Sam Dinkin's interview of Mike Gold, the firm's corporate counsel.

Marketing Space

2004-12-15T17:17:00.000-05:00

SpaceDaily has an article on the hurdles associated with creating marketing opportunities for space activities.

The article raises an interesting question...What is it about the risks of space that discourage sponsorship when other, high risk activities, such as auto racing, present no difficulties for sponsors?

Space Tourism Bill Passes

2004-12-09T14:25:00.000-05:00

HR 5382, the bill that authorizes the FAA to regulate private space vehicle operators, passed yesterday in a Senate voice vote in the final minutes of the 108th Congress.

The legislation clears the path for the development of space tourism.

Study Opposes Robot Hubble Repair

2004-12-07T22:02:00.000-05:00

A NASA sponsored study recommends against using a robotic approach to upgrading and de-orbiting the Hubble telescope.

The study by the Aerospace Corp. found the $2 billion price tag was far too high. Moreover, the study estimated that the robotic mission would have only a 50-50 chance of success even if the technology could be developed in time to save the spacecraft before it re-enters the atmosphere.

The study suggests revisiting using the shuttle to make the repairs provided that provision could be made for a safe haven for the astronauts in the event of an emergency.

Private Spaceflight Bill In Jeopardy

2004-12-04T12:35:00.000-05:00

The private spaceflight legislation that recently passed the House of Representatives is presently in limbo as the bill has endured what is believed to be at least 2 successive "holds" on the legislation in the Senate. If all holds are not removed before the conclusion of next week's short congressional session it's "Wait 'till next year." for the bill.

The full text of H.R. 5382 can be found here.

NASA Barters Deal For Soyuz Flights

2004-12-04T12:30:00.000-05:00

With free flights on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the ISS set to terminate at the end of 2005, NASA had been facing a problem with access to the station given the problems of returning the shuttle to flight status. Ordinarily, the difficulty could be resolved by having NASA purchase Soyuz flights once the current deal had expired. Unfortunately, the Iran Nonproliferation Act prohibits NASA from paying for such flights. The solution was an innovative barter scheme in which NASA would return mission credits to the Russians which were originally paid by the Russians to ferry Russian station hardware. The credits, estimated to be worth roughly US$60,000,000, will pay for an additional year of Soyuz flights. This will give NASA the cushion it needs to get the shuttle program back in action without running afoul of congressional mandates.

International Conference Endorses Moon Treaty Reexamination

2004-12-01T18:26:00.000-05:00

The International Conference on Exploration and Utilization of the Moon (ICEUM-6), hosted by India’s Physical Research Laboratory and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and attended by 200 scientists from 17 nations, recommended in its final declaration that in light of new robotic and human exploration priorities by many nations the 1979 Moon Treaty should be "revisited, refined, and revised as necessary".

The Moon Treaty, though technically in force among the handful of states that have ratified it, has never received the wide acceptance of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. The Moon Treaty is in many ways an artifact of a bygone economic, political and technological era. Several provisions, especially those relating to the issue of property rights, would benefit from a sensible revision.

Scientists Propose Parks On Mars

2004-12-01T06:20:00.000-05:00

Two european scientists, Charles Cockell of the British Anatarctic Survey and Gerda Horneck from the German Aerospace Centre, have proposed the equivalent of national park designation of 7 areas of the martian surface. Each of those sites are considered in some manner to be special, either for their topographic, scientific or historic interest.

The scientists are not suggesting that such areas should not be explored, but they do propose that strict environmental standards and practices be imposed for these regions.

For a more complete discussion of environmental issues in space, see:

"Ensuring the Best of All Possible Worlds: Environmental Regulation of the Solar System."

Lunar Tourism?

2004-11-28T09:21:00.000-05:00

Constellation Services International is suggesting that the next frontier in tourism could be trips to the Moon. The idea is to use the Soyuz designated for space station crew return. Instead of de-orbiting directly into the Earth's atmosphere, the Soyuz, occupied by members of the retiring station crew and a single paying passenger, would rendezvous with a booster that would slingshot the craft around the Moon before returning safely home.

At a cost of around $100 million, the trip isn't for the budget minded but it does demonstrate the possibilities for the space tourism industry as the economics of the technology improves.

Early Retirement For Shuttle?

2004-11-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

MSNBC reports that NASA is quietly studying the possibility of retiring the space shuttle years earlier than originally planned.

The problem for NASA is this: The Columbia Accident Investigation Board has mandated that the entire shuttle fleet be recertified no later than 2010 - a tremendously expensive process. Presently, the construction schedule for the ISS requires 28 flights. Given the relatively low launch rate of the shuttle, and the possibility of mission creep, a 2010 completion date is probably overly optimistic. In addition, for every 4 to 5 shuttle missions cut, NASA frees up $5 billion for other development. This creates a tremendous incentive to either scale back the space station, start reneging on commitments to international partners, and/or offload some of the launch chores onto expendable launchers. It would be impossible, for example to live up to international agreements with a manifest smaller than 20 flights, but NASA is studying scenarios involving an 18, 12 or even 11 flight manifest. The lower total flight rates would also involve significant (but not fatal) compromises to station structure. The 12 flight option would, for example, omit the long trusses, the remaining solar panels, the Centrifuge Accommodation Facility and the Cupola viewing module.

Is it deja vu all over again? Will the shuttle and NASA continue to provide a source of diminished expectations, greater risk, inflated costs, and interminable delay? Is there a viable solution to these near and mid-term limitations? What solution for the long term?

Head Of China's Space Agency At NASA

2004-11-26T06:01:00.000-05:00

Laiyan Sun, the head of China's space agency, has been scheduled to visit NASA and meet with NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe. The goal, it is believed, is to build confidence in the prospect of international cooperation on space matters between the U.S. and China.

Bigelow Prototype Module Receives Government Approval

2004-11-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Space.com reports that the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation (AST) has given Bigelow Aerospace payload approval for flying its Genesis inflatable module - one-third scale hardware crafted to lead to a much larger space habitat dubbed the Nautilus.

Scientists Claim Moon / Mars Initiative Hurts Science

2004-11-26T05:45:00.000-05:00

The American Physical Society (APS) Special Committee on NASA Funding for Astrophysics (the "Committee") has issued a report criticizing NASA's Space Exploration Initiative, claiming that it underestimates the technological challenges associated with such ambitious goals. The Committee's fear is that much of the supplemental funds needed to overcome the unforeseen hurdles will come from the already thinly stretched space science budget.

Possibility of Life On Mars

2004-11-23T17:28:00.000-05:00

NASA scientists reported at The American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences meeting that 3 years of study of the martian atmosphere confirms the presence of significant quantities of methane.

Because methane is easily destroyed by ultraviolet light, any quantities of methane must have been put into the martian atmosphere within the last 300 years. This in turn means that there must be some mechanism for replenishing the gas currently being observed. Although geothermal processes can produce methane outgassing, there is no evidence that Mars has experienced such geothermal activity for millions of years. The methane might also be the residue from cometary strikes. The more likely explanation for the presence of methane, however, is that it is being produced as a waste product of subsurface bacteria.

If this indirect evidence of life is verified, it raises some very complicated questions with regard to the exploration, development, colonization and possible terraforming of the red planet. What sort of environmental protection, if any, should be extended to martian life? Should such considerations have a significant impact on any future human development?

Chinese Space Participation?

2004-11-23T07:19:00.000-05:00

An editorial in Florida Today recently advocated immediate and full Chinese participation in both the International Space Station and the Moon-Mars initiative.

I'm curious as to your thoughts on the practical and political implications of chinese involvement in these projects.

Private Spaceflight Bill Passes In The House

2004-11-23T07:02:00.000-05:00

Space News reports that HR 5382, the compromise version of the bill starting out as HR 3752, passed the House of Representatives on Saturday in a roll call vote of 269 - 120. The bill purports to codify and streamline the regulatory process for commercial spaceflight vehicles under the existing auspices of the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation. The legislation must now proceed to the Senate for approval when Congress reconvenes.

Nathan Horsley has an interesting analysis of the costs and benefits of this bill in The Space Review.

Transforming The NASA Advisory Council

2004-11-22T14:29:00.000-05:00

NASA is hosting a meeting on Tuesday, December 7, 2004, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to discuss the transformation of the NASA Advisory Council Structure. The meeting scheduled to take place at 300 E Street, SW., Room MIC-6H46 (Overflow Room, MIC-3H46) Washington, DC is open to the public.

Attendees will be requested to sign a register and to comply with NASA security requirements, including the presentation of a valid picture ID, before receiving an access badge. To expedite admittance, attendees can provide identifying information in advance by contacting Ms. Marla K. King via e-mail at marla.k.king@nasa.gov or by telephone at (202) 358- 1148.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kathy Dakon, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC 20546, (202) 358-0732.

NASA Spending Bill Approved By Congress

2004-11-22T14:23:00.000-05:00

NASA's budget for fiscal 2005 was approved by Capitol Hill on Saturday. The total of $16.2 billion represents an increase of $822 million over the 2004 budget and $44 million less than the President's request.

Colorado Space Rendezvous

2004-11-21T13:56:00.000-05:00

The Colorado Space Rendezvous, a unique, broad-scoped, one-day event, will be held in Denver on Dec. 8 to bring together diverse organizations in Colorado that are tied together by their interest in space. The first ever Colorado Space Rendezvous will foster and develop a strong sense of engagement and community among Colorado's civil, commercial, national security and higher education space constituency.

Colorado Lt. Gov. Jane Norton and Colorado leaders in areas of academia, business and government will participate in the event.

Panels will be held on a variety of critical issues of interest to Colorado leaders and include:

"An Academic Approach - Space University Research and Programs"
"A Remote Sensing Roundtable"
"Front and Center - The Critical Role of Military Space in Colorado"
"Meet the Players - Aerospace Contractors from Colorado"
"A Capitol View - Perspectives from Washington and the State House"

Speakers will include Lt. Gov. Norton and senior Colorado business, NASA and military space representatives talking about topics ranging from space economic impact to government and military space activities in Colorado.

The Colorado Space Rendezvous will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Colorado History Museum, Colorado Springs, CO, followed by a reception.

Joining the Colorado Space Business Roundtable and the Space Foundation in organizing the event are the State of Colorado, the Colorado Space Coalition, and the University of Colorado.

On-line registration and conference details are available at the Space Foundation's web site or by calling the Space Foundation at 1-800-691-4000.

NASA Outreach Workshop

2004-11-21T13:27:00.000-05:00

NASA is holding a "Capability Roadmap Public Outreach Workshop" on November 30th in Washington, DC. The workshop is open to the public with a prior registration. The Request For Information (pdf), the Strategic & Capability Focus Areas (pdf) and Draft Workshop Agenda (pdf) are available on NASA's web site.

SPACEHAB Sues NASA

2004-11-21T11:47:00.000-05:00

Spacehab, Incorporated announced that they are suing NASA for nearly $80 million under the Federal Tort Claims Act for losses associated with the destruction of the Spacehab module that was carried in the payload bay of the ill-fated space shuttle Columbia.

Falling Probe Crashes Into Building

2004-11-12T16:35:00.000-05:00

Asia Pacific News reported that last month a Chinese satellite crashed into the home of a villager, destroying the house but injuring none. The probe itself survived the impact.

This incident merely serves to highlight the potential liability issues associated with space calamities in this country. There remains a critical gap in coverage for hazards when the harm from such accidents exceeds 2 billion dollars.

Launch Window For Solar Sail Project

2004-11-11T06:30:00.000-05:00

CNN reports that the launch window for the Planetary Society's solar sail project, Cosmos 1, has been set. The craft, expected to operate for one month will be lifted on a Russian launch vehicle some time between March 1 and April 7 of next year.

Rules For America's Space Prize

2004-11-10T16:46:00.001-05:00

It has been reported in Space News that Robert Bigelow has set the rules for America's Space Prize - a $50 million prize going to the first team to place a privately funded reusable spacecraft into orbit twice in two months.

The rules include a provision that the craft need only demonstrate the capability to carry five passengers on the first flight but must actually fly five people on the second flight. As the person who devised the capability standard for the Ansari X Prize, I believe this requirement is extremely ill advised. It is one thing to encourage contestants to take calculated risks with a pilot. The prize structure, however, should NEVER be used to induce mere passengers to participate in what promises to be an extremely risky activity. The liability implications for the contest organizer are enormous. Any contestant should be free to use live passengers in lieu of ballast if they wish - such participation might even be necessary to help the contestant finance their efforts. It should under no circumstances, however, be a requirement for victory.

Welcome

2004-11-07T13:58:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Space Policy. A new weblog focusing on in depth discussions of issues of space law and policy. Whether its a debate over the latest NASA budget or a discussion of how the law can help humanity colonize the high frontier, this site will try and distill the debates down to their essential elements.