Deputy Secretary of Commerce Addresses Space Economy Summit
Deputy Secretary of Commerce Addresses Space Economy Summit
Says Commercial Space Industry is Vital to Our Country’s Continued Global Competitiveness
Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves gave a video address to The Economist’s Space Economy Summit last week, touting the U.S. Commercial Space Industry as being vital to the country's global competitiveness.
"I hope it’s clear from my remarks today that the Commerce Department sees America’s commercial space industry as vital to our country’s continued global competitiveness."
Don Graves, Department of Commerce.
In his remarks, Deputy Secretary Graves discussed several changes made to the Office of Space Commerce and the various functions now under the direction of Director Richard DalBello.
He said the office is working to ensure the United States establishes a clear, modern, and comprehensive regulatory framework.
"We have also increased and sped up our licensing of commercial remote sensing satellites, and eliminated more than 40 operating restrictions that had previously been imposed on U.S. imaging satellites, with plans to remove even more restrictions in the near future," Graves said.
He said that the Commerce Department is working to grow the customer base for U.S. commercial space goods and services.
"Last year, as part of the inaugural U.S.-France Comprehensive Space Dialogue held in Paris, we led a special session involving government and industry representatives from both nations. I personally briefed President Macron on the results of that event, which focused on identifying barriers that could be removed through governmental cooperation," Graves said.
"Based on that successful engagement, we organized another commercial space session with Japan during the U.S.-Japan Comprehensive Space Dialogue in Tokyo. We just held a U.S.-Africa Commercial Space Stakeholders Meeting two weeks ago, following up on a Space Forum that I moderated at last year’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. We are planning additional commercial space engagements with Korea, India, Singapore, the UK, the Quad, and others. As we grow these relationships, we also grow opportunities for the expansion of space commerce."
Other areas now under the Office of Space Commerce are efforts to improve space safety and sustainability, promoting innovation, and advancing Earth observation capabilities to empower better decision making.
"I hope it’s clear from my remarks today that the Commerce Department sees America’s commercial space industry as vital to our country’s continued global competitiveness," Graves said.
"We are pursuing new avenues for business, promoting innovation, and providing regulatory clarity, consistency and transparency that will allow the U.S. to remain the flag of choice in commercial space business."