Winter 2022

The Aerospace Advocate

As a benefit of your AIAA membership, we provide quarterly updates on public policy issues of relevance to the aerospace community.

AIAA PUBLIC POLICY UPDATES

You’re Invited: ASCENDxWebinar with NASA’s Bhavya Lal

During this policy webinar on 15 February, Bhavya Lal will speak about NASA’s newly established Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy, its responsibilities, and how it will support the Biden Administration’s space priorities. The office is a merger of the Office of Strategic Engagements and Assessments and the Office of the Chief Technologist. It will support NASA leadership in developing and guiding the agency’s activities across its six mission directorates.

This webinar is sponsored by Jacobs. Reserve your spot today.

Participate in Our Virtual Congressional Visits Day Program

Registration is open for any United States-based AIAA member who would like to participate in the Institute’s 24th annual Congressional Visits Day program, which will be held virtually the week of 14 March. Your contributions to this upcoming event will be invaluable as the aerospace and defense industry, and its supply chain, continue to be impacted by the prolonged pandemic.

Institute Releases 2022 Key Issues

Each year, the Public Policy Committee establishes key issues that become the focal points of the Institute’s engagement with congressional decision makers, the administration, and state and local officials. In 2022, AIAA will call on lawmakers to address the ongoing needs of the industry:

• Accelerate the establishment of policies that facilitate the commercialization of space for U.S. technological competitiveness, economic growth, and national security benefits.

• Support the growth, evolution, and diversification of the 21st-century workforce to fill the job needs in the industry.

• Support long-term, robust investments in research and technologies that drive innovation and sustainability across the A&D industry.

• Support initiatives with associated funding for the recovery and advancement of the A&D industry—including workforce, infrastructure, and technology advancements.

AIAA Executive Director to Testify Before Congress

Dan Dumbacher has been invited to testify before the House Subcommittee on Science, Space, and Technology. The hearing, titled “Keeping Our Sights on Mars Part 3: A Status Update and Review of NASA’s Artemis Initiative,” will examine the status of plans and progress on NASA’s Artemis initiative; review challenges related to the implementation of those activities; and consider the factors that contribute to the overall success in the nation’s Moon to Mars efforts.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Federal Government Continues to Operate Under a CR

Prior to a 3 December deadline to fund the government, Congress passed and the president signed another continuing resolution keeping federal agencies operating at fiscal year 2021 levels until 18 February.

Congress Clears FY22 NDAA

The bipartisan package includes roughly $740 billion in discretionary funds for the Defense Department. It authorizes $146.9 billion for procurement programs and $117.7 billion for research, development, test, and evaluation programs. Among a bevy of provisions, there are required reports addressing norms of behavior in space, space debris, efforts to improve innovation and competition in the National Security Space Launch program, and threats to space assets by international actors. Additionally, the bill authorizes cyber operations across the department. AIAA applauded the passage.

Major Innovation Policy Package Introduced in House

Among a myriad of provisions, the America COMPETES Act includes language establishing a new NSF directorate and a program to seed regional innovation hubs across the country. It also provides STEM doctoral graduates with a fast-track to receive employment visas and creates an entirely new visa category for immigrant entrepreneurs. The competitiveness package does not include a long-term NASA authorization or language formally assigning civil space situational awareness to the Department of Commerce—differing from its Senate companion bill.

House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Advance New Aviation Technology

The Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act would develop an AAM interagency working group, composed of federal agency and civil aviation industry leaders, that will review policies and make recommendations to advance this emerging technology.

Bill Addressing U.S. Leadership in Space Introduced in House

The legislation calls on the National Space Council to report on foreign threats to the U.S. commercial space sector, and recommends actions Congress can take to protect and promote its success. It also establishes NASA Johnson Space Center as the Artemis program management office.

House Bill Aims to Keep STEM Graduates in the United States

The Keep STEM Talent Act would allow certain graduates with advanced STEM degrees to remain in the United States following their graduation and would remove barriers for STEM-educated international graduates who want to work in the United States.

EXECUTIVE UPDATES

VP Harris Holds First Space Council Meeting

The Biden Administration held its inaugural meeting of the National Space Council in early December. Vice President Harris and senior administration officials discussed three areas of its newly released Space Priorities Framework, including establishing rules and norms governing space, addressing the climate crisis, and building our STEM workforce. AIAA issued a statement following the meeting.

White House Extends ISS Mission to 2030

NASA announced that the Biden Administration had committed to extending operations of the International Space Station from 2024 to 2030. The move was immediately endorsed by the European Space Agency, and other international partners are expected to follow suit. Congress has yet to pass legislation making this commitment federal law.

U.S.-France Agree to Expanded Space Cooperation

The two countries agreed to regular bilateral dialogue on space issues, from climate science to development of norms, guidelines, principles, and rules to ensure sustainability and security of space activities. The United States will also join the Space Climate Observatory, an initiative sponsoring projects that help make climate data from space more accessible.

OSTP Holds “Listening Sessions” on Orbital Debris

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy held two listening sessions addressing orbital debris remediation and mitigation. Participant input will inform efforts to develop an interagency implementation plan for the National Orbital Debris R&D Plan released in January 2021.

NASA Announces New Chief Scientist

Katherine Calvin has been named NASA’s new chief scientist and senior climate advisor. She succeeds Jim Green, who retired in early January, and Gavin Schmidt. Previously, Katherine Calvin was an Earth scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Joint Global Change Research Institute in College Park, Maryland.

National Science Board Releases Biennial Science and Engineering Indicators

The report states that while no nation is the world leader in all aspects of S&E, the United States serves as a keystone of the global scientific ecosystem in that it bridges nations and geographic regions, connects demographic groups and disciplines, and links sectors together. However, the report argues that to maintain this role, the United States must respond to urgent workforce challenges by addressing persistent inequities in science education, making higher education more affordable, and continuing to welcome foreign students and scientists.

Space-Crash Investigations to Be Formalized With NTSB Rule

The National Transportation Safety Board previously issued proposed regulations that would create a formal framework for its authority and responsibilities in the event that a civilian space launch results in a mishap. Space flights by NASA and the military would continue to have separate investigative oversight. Consequently, Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX) has introduced a resolution reiterating that commercial space launch is a developmental activity, rather than a mode of transportation.

President Biden Urges Net-Zero Aviation by 2050

The Biden Administration is calling for the U.S. aviation sector to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The plan released in early November asks for increasing production of sustainable airplane fuels and developing new aircraft technologies. It also urges increasing efficiencies to reduce the amount of fuel that is burned during flights.

Defense Acquisition Head Nominated by Biden

William LaPlante has been nominated by President Biden to be undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. Mr. LaPlante is currently the president and chief operating officer of Draper Laboratory. He previously served as assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology, and logistics in the Obama Administration.

In addition, the president has also nominated Frank Calvelli to be assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition. Mr. Calvelli worked for 30 years at the National Reconnaissance Office, including more than eight years as its principal deputy director.

FAA Grants Spaceport Camden License

In late December, the FAA issued a launch site operators license to Camden County, Georgia. The record of decision outlined the assessed environmental impacts of the proposed site, supporting a dozen launches a year of small launch vehicles, and the measures required to mitigate those effects. More comprehensive reviews are necessary before rockets can be launched.