Stories from Payload’s weekly space policy newsletter, Polaris.
“Our nation is at a turning point where we face international competition from China, we have the opportunity to promote international cooperation with our partner nations, and we are witnessing radical change in the commercial space sector,” the 28 astronauts wrote in the letter, which was shared last weekend. “We believe that Jared Isaacman is uniquely qualified to lead NASA at this critical juncture.”
“If you want private capital flowing into specific sectors, that’s a very good way to encourage it,” Morales said. “Just tell startups that if they build what you want, you’ll buy it and then buy it. It’s that simple.”
Democratic lawmakers are sounding the alarm about SpaceX’s Starlink potentially winning a multi-billion FAA contract—a move that “would stink of corruption” because of Elon Musk’s position in the Trump administration, according to one member.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine three years ago this week catapulted EO tech into the spotlight, providing a bird’s eye view of everything from Russia’s build up of military equipment along the border to the theft of Ukrainian grain. Seeing the benefits of EO before and during the conflict, industry officials said other countries have been […]
“There’s no other way we’re going to get back to the surface of the Moon before the Chinese without the SLS. It’s not going to happen,” he said.
Amid the mile-a-minute news cycle that is 2025 so far, we can’t blame you if you’ve missed some of the space action on Capitol Hill. So here are five things we’ve been watching over the past week.
The council will work with lawmakers to help shape policy in a way that benefits the commercial sector on topics from acquisition to licensing to spectrum.
Regulators must find ways to balance safety and national security concerns surrounding nuclear systems and materials with the mandate for America to lead in space and the drive for a thriving commercial space economy, especially as nuclear technology becomes safer and less risky thanks to new advancements.
“We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.”
“Space is going to be the decisive domain. The ability of the entire joint force to project power depends upon our success in space,” he said in his final think tank engagement as Air Force secretary.
New leaders in DC and a booming space economy are likely to make 2025 an important one for space policy discussions on topics ranging from NASA’s long-term goals to federal funding levels to buying commercial to regulatory processes.
Rep.-elect Jeff Crank (R-CO) is excited about the future of space—especially, what he can do as a freshman lawmaker to help the commercial space community keep growing.
