Policy
Stories about space regulations and policy, and what they mean for companies.
Congress’ Very Busy Week in Space Policy
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.
How to Build the Iron Dome For America
Trump directed the US to rapidly beef up its space-based missile defense capabilities to keep pace with advancing space-based missile tech from adversaries.
US Chamber Launches Space Leadership Council
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.
Haridopolos: NASA Should Relocate From DC
“I think that’s the best way to go where the action is as opposed to where the bureaucrats work.”
Commerce Nominee: Space Data “Fundamental” to US Leadership
Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee to serve as secretary of commerce, committed to supporting the commercial space sector in his confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
Op-ed: Why Outdated Regs Are Holding Back the Nuclear Space Race
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.
What the Trump Administration Could Mean for Primes
“If I was at a large established prime that’s 20+ years or older, I would be in the war room thinking about how the hell we’re going to deal with this,” one space industry source told Payload. “They have a clear preference for the Andurils of the world.”
Finland Joins the Artemis Accords
Finland’s addition to the group signals its commitment to the West’s strategy of beefing up its defense posture in space.
Trump’s First 100 Days of Space Policy
“We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.”
NASA Punts Mars Sample Return Decision
After more than a year of review, there’s no concrete plan to retrieve scientific samples from Mars.
Space Industry’s Top Priorities For the New Congress
Not surprisingly, regulatory reform is on everyone’s wishlist.
2024 Top 5: Space Policy
Most of the biggest space policy story lines of 2024 were actually about 2025, including how the incoming second Trump administration could reshape and prioritize space, the officials who will oversee those efforts, and some new faces on Capitol Hill as well.
