Jacqueline Feldscher
GOP Push for NOAA’s Independence
The chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee introduced a bill on Friday that would establish NOAA as a standalone agency akin to NASA. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Act of 2023, led by Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), would also require the agency to submit a reorganization plan to boost efficiency and…
Miller, Carbajal Give Sneak Peek of Legislative Plans
Lawmakers previewed two legislative proposals in the works during a panel discussion at Payload’s Space Capitol event in DC on Tuesday night. NDAA preview: Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) will introduce an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to help federal launch ranges keep up with the rapidly growing launch cadence in Florida and California. …
COPUOS Update on Sustainable Use of Space
The United Nations gave an update on a new group studying guidelines for the sustainable use of space in a conference room paper released June 2 at the 66th session of the UN’s Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), which will conclude Friday in Vienna. What it is: The COPUOS Scientific and…
Training the Next Generation of Space Diplomats
The State Department released its first Strategic Framework for Space Diplomacy today, proving that diplomacy in orbit has become a reality much sooner than Futurama would have had us believe. The framework: The document highlights how the State Department will advance US leadership in orbit on priorities like establishing norms of behavior, as well as…
What a Debt Limit Deal Could Mean for NASA
The debt limit deal reached late Saturday night contains both good and bad news for NASA. The plan from President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), which is expected to get a vote in the House on Wednesday, would keep non-defense spending roughly flat in fiscal year 2024, with a 1% bump in 2025,…
Artemis 2 Crew Finds Inspiration in DC’s Chaos
The Artemis 2 crew found inspiration in their visit to DC last week, despite the backdrop of partisan debt limit debates and Republican-backed efforts to slash nearly a quarter of NASA’s budget. When I asked Victor Glover how the crew’s meetings with lawmakers had gone amid these financial concerns, he was overwhelmingly optimistic about the…
G7 Deems Space Debris an ‘Urgent’ Problem
The growing amount of space debris in orbit is an “urgent issue” that must be addressed by international organizations, according to the G7 nations meeting in Japan this weekend. “We strongly encourage further research and development of orbital debris mitigation and remediation technologies,” officials wrote in the communiqué from the G7 Science and Technology Ministers’…
GOP Criticizes NASA’s Proposed DEI, Climate Investments
Republicans warned NASA on Tuesday that promoting the Biden administration’s “woke” agenda, including diversity initiatives and combating climate change, could threaten the bipartisan support historically enjoyed by the space agency. “We’ve got a Republican House of Representatives now,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee said at a…
Space Norms, STEM, Alliances Top National Space Council 2023 To-Do List
Setting norms of behavior in space and building a future space workforce are at the top of the National Space Council’s list of priorities for the remainder of this year, the group’s executive secretary, Chirag Parikh, told Payload. His other to-dos as he nears the end of his second year with the panel include buoying…
Wisconsin Named Most Space-Obsessed State, Study Finds
You might think more dairy than deep space when you think about Wisconsin, but the Badger State is the most space-obsessed in the nation, according to a study released Thursday. Science news publication Alt Futures tracked nationwide space-related Google searches, including “NASA DART,” “International Space Station,” and “Mars rover,” between April 1, 2022 and March…
Rep. Frank Lucas on NASA Authorization Push: ‘The Sooner, the Better’
The last time Congress passed a standalone NASA authorization bill, in 2017, astronauts were flying to the ISS exclusively aboard Russian rockets, Perseverance was still a work in progress inside a JPL clean room, and Artemis was just a name from Greek mythology. It’s clear a lot has changed since then, and Rep. Frank Lucas…
Congress Reopens Space National Guard Battle
Some lawmakers are re-launching their bid to establish a Space National Guard, despite strong White House opposition to previous efforts. House Armed Services Committee members Reps. Jason Crow (D-CO) and Doug Lamborn (R-CO) this week reintroduced the Space National Guard Establishment Act, which would move space-focused Air National Guard members from seven states and one…
US, Philippines Join Forces in Orbit
The US and the Philippines announced plans on Monday to increase cooperation in space on SSA and maritime domain awareness, according to a White House readout of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s visit to DC. “Recognizing the importance of enhancing and sustaining joint efforts in outer space activities, the leaders also welcome their countries’…
