SIA Announces Space Situational Awareness Recommendations and Applauds Vice President’s Call for an Orderly Space Environment

Washington, D.C., April 17, 2018 – As the Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today announced its recommendations for a U.S. Space Situational Awareness Policy, it also applauded U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and the National Space Council for recognizing the importance of managing the increasingly congested space environment while continuing to support America’s leadership in space and the commercial space industry.  The announcement follows yesterday’s opening address by the Vice President at the Space Symposium conference in Colorado Springs, CO.

During the opening address, the Vice President announced that the National Space Council has developed a comprehensive space traffic management policy proposal that will direct the Department of Commerce to provide a basic level of space situational awareness for public and private use.   The proposal would encourage the commercial space industry to partner with the government to develop data sharing systems, technical guidelines and safety standards that can be applied domestically and be promoted internationally that will help minimize debris, avoid satellite collisions during launch and while in orbit.

“SIA applauds the Vice President and the National Space Council for recognizing the importance of space situational awareness and the need for a national policy that will help preserve and protect America’s leadership role and innovation in the commercial satellite industry,” said Tom Stroup, President of the Satellite Industry Association.

“With the goal of preserving the space domain for freedom of use and access by ensuring safe flight operations for satellites, human space flight and other missions through U.S. leadership and international collaboration, SIA announces the following three recommendations for a national policy governing space situation awareness.”

1. The United States should develop a space situational awareness (SSA) policy that promotes comprehensive space situational awareness to advance flight safety and collision avoidance capabilities.
2. The United States should designate one lead agency with responsibility for commercial space situational awareness.
3. The United States must be an international leader in sharing its space traffic management policies and framework with other current or potential spacefaring nations. International collaboration is essential to achieving an effective global regime for space flight safety and to establish the basis for a global approach to space situational awareness.

Mr. Stroup added, “As the number of satellites and constellations continues to grow at an increasing rate, SIA looks forward to working with the Vice President and the National Space Council in its efforts to finalize a comprehensive policy designed to preserve a stable and orderly orbital space environment.”

To view a detailed list of the SIA policy recommendations listed above, please see the following link. 

About The Satellite Industry Association

SIA is a U.S.-based trade association providing representation of the leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers. For more than two decades, SIA has advocated on behalf of the U.S. satellite industry on policy, regulatory, and legislative issues affecting the satellite business.