Office of Space Commerce Supported by Industry Groups
Three industry groups have written a letter to newly appointed Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo urging continued support for the Office of Space Commerce.
"FY2021 represents a critical time for our members and the growing space economy. Retaining staff in the Office of Space Commerce to continue to carry out its work until a new Director is named is critical to the success of our industry on a variety of fronts."
Excerpt from a letter sent to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo by AIA, CSF and SIA.
The letter, dated March 9, was sent to Secretary Raimondo by the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and the Satellite Industry Association. In the letter, the associations state that the commercial space industry is made up of hundreds of US companies that employ hundreds of thousands of American workers, from space ground system developers to satellite manufacturers and operators, to launch companies, to the small and medium sized businesses at the heart of the space supply chain.
"FY2021 represents a critical time for our members and the growing space economy. Retaining staff in the Office of Space Commerce to continue to carry out its work until a new Director is named is critical to the success of our industry on a variety of fronts," the letter states.
Among the initiatives considered important by the groups are:
Coordinating efforts to strengthen and quantify the space industrial base via grants to state-level space industry programs and economic analysis exploring industry impact on the U.S. economy and job growth
Promoting a globally competitive regulatory environment, e.g., remote sensing reform
Working to promote space technologies Made in America by aiding the U.S. space industry in developing international business partnerships
Continue to rapidly stand up a civilian Space Situational Awareness team that will assume the responsibility of private and international satellite traffic warnings for the Department of Defense per bipartisan support from the FY2021 Appropriations conferees
Convening government/industry dialogues on areas of critical concern to the future of space, such as the 2020 Industry Day regarding space sustainability and space economics via the Space Enterprise Summit
Creating a “one-stop” Commerce entry point, for connecting industry to other Department activities, e.g., export control reform on imagery analysis software, trade promotion, and assisting business creation
"Given the constant developments, from start-ups to new technologies in the space sector, and the uncertainties of the post-pandemic and changing regulatory environment globally, the space industry requires a strong U.S. Office of Space Commerce to drive continued growth here and abroad for the US space industry," the letter states. "The Office of Space Commerce is also a critical voice and bridge between industry and other federal agencies to promote space solutions to problems here on earth, such as supporting the creation and growth of satellite communications companies critical to providing nationwide broadband service, enabling climate, and carbon, monitoring technologies to be developed and deployed, and promoting the Commercial Weather Data Pilot to receive commercial remote sensing data to supplement critical weather forecasting and disaster responses."
(Source: Joint letter to Secretary Raimondo)