Washington Updates

On March 14, the Space Foundation hosted a breakfast briefing on the national security space strategy for Congress featuring Ambassador Gregory Schulte, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, who briefed attendees and fielded questions. Schulte outlined the strategy’s three major objectives: to maintain the advantages that space provides the U.S. to protect…

According to a story from The Associated Press, the Russians are hiking the price of rocket rides again for U.S. astronauts – to nearly $63 million. The price goes up in 2014 for an astronaut to fly to and from the International Space Station on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. The previous contract charged just under…

President Barack Obama released his FY 2012 budget request to Congress on Feb. 14, proposing a freeze on non-security discretionary spending, which includes funds for NASA and NOAA. The $18.7 billion requested to fund NASA is the same amount the agency received in 2010 and is currently operating under. The Space Foundation’s analysis of the…

On Feb. 4 the Department of Defense (DoD) released its long-awaited 10-year National Security Space Strategy (NSSS), which, according to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, “represents a significant departure from past practice” with a pragmatic approach to maintain advantages derived from space while confronting the new challenges of an increasingly “congested, contested and competitive” space…

The House Armed Service Committee held a hearing Feb. 18 on the Air Force’s FY 2012 budget request, which includes $11.6 billion for space superiority efforts. The requests for Air Force space programs includes: $1.138 billion for Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles $987 million for Space-Based Infrared System $2.292 billion for Advanced Extremely High Frequency $281…

Space policymakers and industry executives celebrated United States-Japan space cooperation at a reception Jan. 31 at the Washington, D.C., residence of the Ambassador of Japan to the United States, Ichiro Fujisaki. Sponsored by the Space Foundation, the Ambassador and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the event recognized the long and rich history of cooperation…

The U.S. has removed nine Indian space and defense companies, including those from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), from the export control entity list, with the objective of strengthening high technology trade between the two countries. The action ends a 13-year ban on export of high-tech, dual-use items…

Jan. 5 marked the opening of the 112th Congress, which welcomed 96 new members to the House of Representatives and 16 to the Senate. Florida’s 24th district, home to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, is now represented by Rep. Sandra Adams (R-FL). Also, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is Florida’s new junior senator. Alabama’s 5th district, home…

The Senate Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee held a hearing on Transition and Implementation in December: The NASA Authorization Act of 2010. The hearing was the first NASA oversight hearing since President Barack Obama signed the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 into law. Senators told NASA and the Obama Administration they would take the necessary…

Space Foundation CEO Elliot Pulham attended the George Washington University Space Policy Institute and Trachtenberg School symposium, From Vision to Execution: Implementing U.S. Space Policy, on Oct. 29. He spoke on the panel, “Implementation Issues and U.S. Industry,” along with fellow panelists: Marion C. Blakey, president and chief executive officer of the Aerospace Industries Association;…