Polaris

The ISS has been a bastion for international cooperation and scientific discovery for nearly three decades, but as the orbiting habitat nears the end of its time in service, NASA is preparing to pass the torch on these three pillars to the commercial sector. 

Though the vice president did not do much public work on space before joining President Joe Biden’s ticket, she has overseen the debate of two major space policy issues as chair of the National Space Council

The long-promised trillion-dollar space economy, space-based internet for the world, ambitious science missions, and a long-term human presence in orbit all have one thing in common—space needs to be safe and clear of debris for them to thrive. 

“Where commerce goes and wealth is created, crime and piracy follow.”

More than 2,000 supporters ranging from engineers to space enthusiasts signed a letter last week led by the Planetary Society asking lawmakers to add the program back into NASA’s budget.

“We had one clear objective on this plan: make Artemis uncancelable.”

The Trump administration’s top priority, according to Autry, is likely to be “kicking Artemis into high gear” and ensuring Artemis III—the first crewed mission to the lunar surface since Apollo—remains on track to avoid getting beaten by the Chinese. 

“It’s been far too long since the last comprehensive NASA authorization and we’re overdue for Congressional guidance and direction,” Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), the chair of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, told Payload in a statement, adding that his top priorities in the markup include the Moon to Mars pipeline, operations in LEO after the ISS, and balancing the science portfolio.

The Space Force should boost its use of venture capital funding to have more influence over where private entities are focusing their science and tech investments, according to a RAND report. 

It marks the first time NOAA has approved a hosted payload—a milestone that could open the door for other companies to seek approval from the agency for platforms that can hitch a ride aboard satellites manufactured by other entities. 

The House passed the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill last week, but not before adding a few space-focused updates during debate on the floor.