WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Gary Peters, D-Mich., introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen commercial space policy and promote industry competitiveness by establishing a Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee within the Office of Space Commerce. This legislation enables the advisory committee to share important insights into non-governmental space activity and empowers its members to inform and shape federal policy and programs. 

“The commercial space industry is growing rapidly, and it is important for government to help it continue,” Wicker said. “Establishing a new advisory committee staffed by subject matter experts across industry, academia, and policy will help us guide this industry into the next era.”

“As connected technologies continue to evolve, space-based assets will only become more critical to our safety and national security,” Peters said. “This bipartisan legislation would give our space industry leaders a seat at the table to help shape federal space policy and ensure the United States is at the forefront of commercial space development.”

The Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee would be comprised of 15 members who make recommendations on various priorities, including:

• Identifying challenges relating to international obligations and export controls that affect the commercial space sector.
• Addressing the need to access adequate, predictable and reliable radio frequency spectrum.
• Reviewing best practices for U.S. entities to avoid harmful environmental impacts to both earth and space.
• Providing recommendations on matters related to space sector development and other activities the advisory committee considers necessary.

The Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee Act is supported by Commercial Spaceflight Federation and ATLAS Space Operations.