The Aerospace Corporation’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy (CSPS) published Space Agenda 2025 to provide objective insight into the opportunities and challenges ahead for the space sector: https://csps.aerospace.org/sa2025
Regulatory Reform Should Be Top Priority For 2025: Aerospace Corp.
Briana Sparacino, Payload – In an Aerospace Center for Space Policy & Strategy paper, Brian Weeden, a senior analyst, argues that the continued lack of regulatory modernization leads to: a lack of certainty, overly cumbersome regulations, or a lack of sufficient government oversight.
New DoD space policy directive clarifies Space Force, Space Command roles
Theresa Hitchens, Breaking Defense – The new version of “DoD Directive 3100.10” — dated Oct. 15 and signed by DoD Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks — for the first time codifies into Pentagon policy the three primary missions for which Space Force Guardians must be organized, trained, and equipped to fulfill.
Space Force refining commercial backup plan for military satellites
Sandra Erwin, SpaceNews – A new initiative, Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve (CASR), would allow the military to tap into commercial space assets, such as satellites and communication systems, during crises or emergencies.
NASA weighing options for continuous human presence in LEO after ISS
Jeff Foust, SpaceNews – At IAC 2024, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy mentioned what she called the “elephant in the room”: a desire to have continuous human presence in low earth orbit (LEO). An alternative approach, “continuous capability,” would mean retaining the ability to have humans in orbit without maintaining a continuous presence.
No simple answers for debris mitigation
Debra Werner, SpaceNews – Marlon Sorge and Greg Henning, executive director and engineering manager, respectively, at Aerospace’s Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies: “One of the things we try to focus on is getting folks on the technical level to talk to each other.”
Solar power from space? Actually, it might happen in a couple of years.
Eric Berger, Ars Technica – Large solar arrays in geostationary orbit could collect solar energy and beam it back to Earth via microwaves as a continuous source of clean energy. It should work — in theory. Aetherflux, a small space solar startup, is putting this concept to the test.
The government should investigate supply chains in the space economy
Charles Beames, SmallSat Alliance Chairman, in an op-ed for SpaceNews – Traditional defense prime contractors are having a tough time working within budget limitations. Commercial companies live by fixed price contracts and are only paid on delivery.
Commercial space’s critical role in the race to outpace adversaries
Dean Bellamy, executive VP at Redwire, in an op-ed for SpaceNews – Space Development Agency, Space System Command, and commercial operators exemplify a fast and iterative approach, which will be key to outpacing adversaries.
SPACECOM Expanding Missions for Multinational Commercial Space Domain Awareness Cell
Theresa Hitchens, Breaking Defense – One of the JCO’s new missions will be gathering what the Space Force calls tactical surveillance, reconnaissance and tracking data from commercial remote sensing satellite operators, said JCO head Barbara Golf.