Author Topic: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space  (Read 11846 times)

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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April 20, 2017
Cruz to Hold Hearing on Expanding American Free Enterprise in Space

WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness, will convene a hearing titled “Reopening the American Frontier: Reducing Regulatory Barriers and Expanding American Free Enterprise in Space” at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 2017. This hearing will examine the Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act signed into law in November 2015, potential regulatory barriers to address in future legislation, and ways to expand commercial opportunities for American firms in space.

Witnesses:
 
•    Mr. Robert Bigelow, Founder, Bigelow Aerospace
•    Mr. Rob Myerson, President, Blue Origin
•    Mr. George Whitesides, CEO, Virgin Galactic
•    Mr. Andrew Rush, CEO, Made in Space
 
* Witness list subject to change
 
Hearing Details:
 
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
10:00 a.m.
Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness
 
This hearing will take place in Russell Senate Office Building, Room 253. Witness testimony, opening statements, and a live video of the hearing will be available on www.commerce.senate.gov.

https://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/4/u-s-sen-ted-cruz-r-texas-chairman-of-the-subcommittee-on-space-science-and-competitiveness-will-convene-a-hearing-titled-reopening-the-american-frontier-reducing-regulatory-barriers-and-expanding-american-free-enterprise-in-space-at-10-00-a-m-on-wednesday-april-26-2017-this-hearing-wi

Offline dlapine

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #1 on: 04/20/2017 05:52 pm »
Is it just me, or did they forget to invite someone else involved in American commercial space enterprises...?

Offline Coastal Ron

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #2 on: 04/22/2017 07:29 pm »
Is it just me, or did they forget to invite someone else involved in American commercial space enterprises...?

Let's hope the "* Witness list subject to change" statement is accurate...
If we don't continuously lower the cost to access space, how are we ever going to afford to expand humanity out into space?

Offline yg1968

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #3 on: 04/22/2017 07:41 pm »
I am sure that it will be a good hearing without SpaceX.

Offline Coastal Ron

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #4 on: 04/22/2017 11:57 pm »
I am sure that it will be a good hearing without SpaceX.

A representative from ULA is not on the list either, and ULA has specifically stated they need to have a higher amount of commercial business when they field their Vulcan launcher.  Plus they have been promoting ACES for years, as well at IVF, as opening up new markets in space.

Other than launching smallsats, I don't think Virgin Galactic intends to go beyond sub-orbital, so they are not really oriented towards markets that are "in space" per se.  They are highly visible in the public, but that doesn't make them a good representative for this topic.

My $0.02
If we don't continuously lower the cost to access space, how are we ever going to afford to expand humanity out into space?

Offline JohnFornaro

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #5 on: 04/23/2017 12:54 pm »
Is it just me, or did they forget to invite someone else involved in American commercial space enterprises...?

Yeah.  I was mildly disappointed not to get a call.  Thx for noticing! :)
Sometimes I just flat out don't get it.

Offline MikeAtkinson

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #6 on: 04/23/2017 03:21 pm »
I would want a satellite manufacturer and service provider/operator on that list. Why ignore 90% of the industry?

Offline Political Hack Wannabe

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #7 on: 04/23/2017 07:21 pm »
I would want a satellite manufacturer and service provider/operator on that list. Why ignore 90% of the industry?

Jurisdiction may play a role in this.  Formally, most satellite service providers/operators are regulated by the FCC, which is overseen by the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, rather than Science, Space and Competitiveness subcommittee. 

The big place that satellite builders or operators are impacted within this area (on something like the CSLA) is for things like payload reviews during the launch licence (which arguably would also impact Made In Space, or Bigelow).  And Bigelow does have experience with what is effectively a satellite (Genesis 1 & 2)

So that may be part of their thinking
It's not democrats vs republicans, it's reality vs innumerate space cadet fantasy.

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #9 on: 04/26/2017 01:59 pm »
Quote
Blair Bigelow‏ @BlairBigelow 2m2 minutes ago

Ready for the hearing @RobertTBigelow @blueorigin @RushSpace

https://twitter.com/BlairBigelow/status/857231854616944640

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #10 on: 04/26/2017 02:08 pm »
Hearing is now underway. Should be viewable on-line at:

https://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/hearings?ID=D2F0378C-CC0D-4FE8-9AD8-A2ADDA1FCE9E

But not working for me (unless it's restricted to US?)

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #11 on: 04/26/2017 04:50 pm »
Quote
This morning's Senate hearing on NewSpace is on my YouTube channel at youtube.com/watch?v=ttFBOp…. Removed the long wait on the official video.

https://twitter.com/spacekscblog/status/857274160724226052


Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #12 on: 04/26/2017 04:51 pm »
Quote
One post-hearing note: Cruz said this is a first in a series of hearings on this topic; no timeframe yet for new legislation.

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/857264642493689856

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #14 on: 04/27/2017 09:29 am »
Participant opening statements attached.

Offline Coastal Ron

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #15 on: 04/27/2017 03:06 pm »
A lot of positive stuff was talked about, and they acknowledged that this was just a start.  The important stuff I noticed:

- The Outer Space Treaty needs to be revisited and revised to reflect that humanity is now ready to expand out into space.  Being an international agreement this won't change quickly, and it will be interesting to hear how the Trump Administration approaches this, given Trump's attitudes about international agreements in general.

- Industry wants increased funding for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) because they are concerned that a lack of funding could slow their future launch rates.

- Should there be a U.S. Government entity that does the job of on-orbit authority, space situational awareness or space traffic management?

- There is a lack of clarity regarding the future of the ISS, and what NASA will do after the ISS, which means the private sector doesn't have enough clarity to try and partner with or leverage NASA's future plans.

Did I miss anything?
If we don't continuously lower the cost to access space, how are we ever going to afford to expand humanity out into space?

Offline Proponent

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #16 on: 04/27/2017 03:51 pm »
A lot of positive stuff was talked about, and they acknowledged that this was just a start.  The important stuff I noticed:

- The Outer Space Treaty needs to be revisited and revised to reflect that humanity is now ready to expand out into space.  Being an international agreement this won't change quickly, and it will be interesting to hear how the Trump Administration approaches this, given Trump's attitudes about international agreements in general.

That's interesting -- I'd have expected Cruz et al. to advocate simply abrogating the Treaty.  Was any hint given as to why they want to keep it at all?

Offline RonM

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #17 on: 04/27/2017 05:46 pm »
A lot of positive stuff was talked about, and they acknowledged that this was just a start.  The important stuff I noticed:

- The Outer Space Treaty needs to be revisited and revised to reflect that humanity is now ready to expand out into space.  Being an international agreement this won't change quickly, and it will be interesting to hear how the Trump Administration approaches this, given Trump's attitudes about international agreements in general.

That's interesting -- I'd have expected Cruz et al. to advocate simply abrogating the Treaty.  Was any hint given as to why they want to keep it at all?

I would think that would be obvious. If you get rid of the OST, then nations can claim territory in space. We need a better environment for business in space, not an uncontrolled land grab that could lead to conflict.

Offline Coastal Ron

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #18 on: 04/27/2017 07:32 pm »
A lot of positive stuff was talked about, and they acknowledged that this was just a start.  The important stuff I noticed:

- The Outer Space Treaty needs to be revisited and revised to reflect that humanity is now ready to expand out into space.  Being an international agreement this won't change quickly, and it will be interesting to hear how the Trump Administration approaches this, given Trump's attitudes about international agreements in general.

That's interesting -- I'd have expected Cruz et al. to advocate simply abrogating the Treaty.  Was any hint given as to why they want to keep it at all?

I think I mixed facts with opinions, and caused confusion.

I only wanted to convey that Cruz thinks the Outer Space Treaty needs to be revised.  The rest of my statement was personal opinion and observation.

Sorry about that.  What Cruz did say (per the SpaceNews article):

"As we look to the future of American free enterprise and settlement in space, we should also thoroughly review the United Nations’ Outer Space Treaty, which was written and enacted in a very different time and era in 1967,” he said. “It’s important that Congress evaluate how that treaty, enacted 50 years ago, will impact new and innovative activity within space."
If we don't continuously lower the cost to access space, how are we ever going to afford to expand humanity out into space?

Offline Proponent

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Re: Senate Hearing: 26 Apr 2017 : Free Enterprise in Space
« Reply #19 on: 04/27/2017 09:13 pm »
And I did not mean to say that I think the OST should be done away with; I'm just a little surprised that
I only wanted to convey that Cruz thinks the Outer Space Treaty needs to be revised.

That's how I took it.  And, for my part, I did not mean to say that the OST should be done away with.  I'm just a little surprised that Cruz doesn't want to get rid of it.

Quote
"As we look to the future of American free enterprise and settlement in space, we should also thoroughly review the United Nations’ Outer Space Treaty, which was written and enacted in a very different time and era in 1967,” he said. “It’s important that Congress evaluate how that treaty, enacted 50 years ago, will impact new and innovative activity within space."

In fact, I'd say his statement is eminently reasonable.

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