The U.S. Department of Commerce plays a significant role in the space industry through its Office of Space Commerce (OSC). The OSC is responsible for fostering the economic growth and technological advancement of the U.S. commercial space industry by coordinating policy, streamlining regulations, and providing space situational awareness services, including the development of the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS). The Department also works to promote U.S. space products and services internationally, supporting companies like SpaceX in securing contracts and modernizing space-related export controls through the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). Key partners include NASA, NOAA, and various international entities.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The Commerce Department’s Office of Space Commerce could develop industry data and sensible metrics to support institutional investment in the space sector.
The Commerce Department has been working on a notice of proposed rulemaking to reform commercial remote sensing regulations, and that proposed rule was in final review within the administration as of 2018-12-05.
S. 3277 renames the Office of Space Commerce within the Commerce Department as the Bureau of Space Commerce to be led by an Assistant Secretary for Space Commerce.
Space Policy Directive 3 directs the Commerce Department to take over responsibility for providing basic space situational awareness data and space traffic management services for civil and commercial users.
On 2019-10-22 the Commerce Department submitted a draft rule revising commercial remote sensing licensing processes to the Office of Management and Budget.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has shown interest in space issues and announced the hiring of Kevin O'Connell at the 2018-06-18 meeting of the National Space Council at the White House.
The House American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act gives authority to authorize and supervise non-traditional space activities to the Commerce Department, creating a conflict with S. 3277.
The U.S. Commerce Department lifted the trade ban on ZTE on 2018-07-13.
The Trump administration assigned space traffic management duties to the Commerce Department and directed the Pentagon to create a dedicated military service for space.
H.R. 6226 largely follows Space Policy Directive 3, which was signed on 2018-06-18 and assigns authority for civil space traffic management to the Commerce Department.
H.R. 6226 would authorize the Commerce Department to provide space traffic management services, including collision warnings, to civil and commercial satellite operators within one year of the bill’s enactment.
H.R. 6226 calls on the Commerce Department to develop a pilot program for space traffic coordination.
Gen. John Hyten committed to work with the administration, the Department of Commerce, and Congress to meet the president’s space traffic management goals.
The draft American Space SAFE Management Act would authorize the Department of Commerce to provide space traffic management services to civil and commercial operators, including operators outside the United States, without charging a fee.
Space Policy Directive 3 gives the Department of Commerce authority to provide safety-related space situational awareness data to civil and commercial satellite operators.
NASA will implement Space Policy Directive 2 and Space Policy Directive 3 in coordination with the Department of Commerce.
Space Policy Directive 2 (SPD-2) was signed on 2018-05-24 and calls for reforms to commercial remote sensing and other regulations within the Commerce Department’s jurisdiction.
Space Policy Directive 2 (SPD-2) in May directed the Department of Commerce to consolidate its space activities into a single office intended to provide a one-stop shop for commercial space regulatory activity not handled by other agencies.
Space Policy Directive 2, signed 2018-05-24, addresses commercial space regulatory reforms including streamlined launch licensing and creation of a one-stop shop for most commercial space regulatory issues within the Commerce Department.
The Commerce Department intends to assume space traffic management responsibilities and work with other executive branch agencies and the private sector to develop an STM strategy with benchmark standards.