Space Advocates Propose Establishment of Novel Body to Foster and Regulate Cosmic Exploration

The United States is set to take a significant step towards bolstering its space industry with the proposed establishment of the Space Promotion and Regulatory Agency (SPRA). The new agency, which aims to fulfill US obligations under the Outer Space Treaty, is a product of policy recommendations put forward by a group of US scientists.

The SPRA, slated to be formed by merging the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation and the Commerce Department's Office of Space Commerce, will be tasked with promoting, regulating, and managing the US space sector.

One of the key areas of focus for the SPRA will be addressing potential hindrances to space's economic potential. This includes studying satellite interference with critical missions such as Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and space weather prediction.

The agency will also be responsible for engaging in space traffic coordination or management, rationalizing all existing permitting processes under one organization, and managing liability for US space organisations. To ensure accountability, the policy recommendations suggest maintaining a separation between the promotional and regulatory parts of the new agency.

In addition, operators will be required to have insurance for all space missions to fulfill the liability requirements of the Outer Space Treaty. The agency will also establish a list of abandoned spacecraft in orbit and create rules for commercial companies to retrieve them.

The proposed agency is intended to protect US companies from harm caused by the EU Space Act. It is worth noting that the name of the group that proposed the establishment of the SPRA has not been disclosed in the available information.

The Office of Space Commerce (OSC) could potentially benefit from an expanded mission mandate, regulatory authority, and resources for promoting commercial space development under the new agency. However, the OSC has faced isolation within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the Biden administration, and bottlenecks with the secretary of commerce in the second Trump administration.

The establishment of the SPRA is a significant step towards streamlining and strengthening the US space industry, ensuring its continued growth and contributions to various sectors, including science, technology, and national security.

Space Advocates Propose Establishment of Novel Body to Foster and Regulate Cosmic Exploration