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U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Industry Merger
In January 2013, the major two U.S. commercial remote sensing satellite firms, DigitalGlobe and GeoEye, completed their merger, retaining the DigitalGlobe name.
Joint UK–U.S. Statement Regarding GPS Intellectual Property
The governments of the United Kingdom and the United States today announced that they had reached a common understanding of intellectual property rights related to GPS and will work together to address broader global navigation …
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Law Clears Way for Satellites to be Removed from U.S. Munitions List
On January 2, 2013, President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013. Section 1261 of the law repeals the 1999 legislation that placed satellites and related items under the strict rules …
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NASA Industrial Base Study Results
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security released its report on the “National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Human Space Flight Industrial Base in the Post-Space Shuttle/Constellation Environment.” The report’s representative survey sample consists …
NASA Announces New Hosted Payload Mission
NASA has selected a proposal from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass., to build the first space-based instrument to monitor major air pollutants across the North American continent hourly during daytime. The instrument, to …
Space Station Delivery Service Enters Operational Phase
Today, another SpaceX Dragon capsule delivered more cargo to the International Space Station. It was the first such delivery under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program, bringing the Dragon out of demonstration mode and into …
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First Commercial Resupply Mission Reaches International Space Station
Today, the Dragon space capsule developed and launched by SpaceX — a U.S. commercial space firm — successfully delivered approximately 1,000 pounds of cargo from NASA to the International Space Station. It was a historic …
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Douglas to Speak at Commercial Remote Sensing Forum
On April 27, Eve Douglas of the Office of Space Commercialization will speak at a Space Enterprise Council forum on “The Importance of Commercial Remote Sensing to Economic and National Security.” The Capitol Hill event …
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Report on Satellite Export Control Policy Reform
On April 18, the Departments of Defense and State released a report on space export control policy reform, recommending that many satellites and satellite components be transferred from the USML to the Commerce Control List …
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NASA Awards Hosted Payload Contract for Laser Communications Demo
In April 2012, NASA announced a $3 million contract with Space Systems/Loral to initiate the process of hosting the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) payload aboard a Loral commercial satellite. The agreement marks the first …
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FCC Blocks LightSquared Operations
On February 14, 2012, the FCC announced that, based on NTIA’s recommendation, “the Commission will not lift the prohibition” on LightSquared’s terrestrial network operations. NTIA delivered its recommendation to the FCC earlier that day after …
2012 Joint Announcement on U.S.-Japan GPS Cooperation
The governments of the United States and Japan held their 9th plenary meeting in Washington, D.C., on January 18, 2012, to review and discuss cooperation in the civil use of space-based positioning, navigation and timing …
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Launch of Commercially Hosted Air Force Payload
On September 21, 2011, the Air Force’s Commercially Hosted Infrared Payload (CHIRP) was successfully launched into orbit on an Ariane V rocket as part of the SES-2 communications satellite. CHIRP is a pathfinder for commercially …
House Science Committee Hearing on LightSquared Impacts to GPS
On September 8, 2011, the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology held a hearing on the impacts of the LightSquared network on federal science activities. Officials from NOAA, NASA, DOT, USGS, and the National …
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NOAA Official to Testify on GPS Interference Issue
On September 8, the House Science Committee will hold a public hearing on the proposed LightSquared wireless communications network and its potential interference to GPS users. NOAA Deputy Under Secretary for Operations Mary Glackin will …
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New NASA Flight Demos Include Two Hosted Payload Missions
Today NASA announced its selection of three Technology Demonstration Missions, including the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) and the Deep Space Atomic Clock (DSAC) project that will both fly as hosted payloads on commercial communications …
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AMS Report on Satellite Navigation and Space Weather
In March 2011, the American Meteorological Society published a report on “Satellite Navigation & Space Weather: Understanding the Vulnerability & Building Resilience,” based on a workshop it conducted on the topic in October 2010. The …
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Satellite 2011 Presentation on Hosted Payloads for NOAA
He updated last year’s presentation with information about the National Space Policy and the government’s challenges in pursuing hosted payloads. View PDF (219 KB)
Historic First Flight of Private Space Capsule
On December 8, the U.S. firm Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) became the first company in history to achieve the successful launch and re-entry of a private space capsule. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon …
GWU Symposium Presentation on Hosted Payloads
NOAA Deputy Assistant Administrator Charles Baker spoke at an October 29 symposium on the National Space Policy hosted by the George Washington University (GWU). His presentation highlighted the commercial space guidelines of the policy and …
Joint Announcement on U.S.-Australia Civil GPS and Space Cooperation
On October 26-27, the Department of Commerce participated in U.S. consultations with the Australian government in Washington, D.C., to review progress under and build future activities on the 2007 Joint Delegation Statement on Cooperation in …
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SATCON Presentation on Hosted Payloads
NOAA Deputy Assistant Administrator Charles Baker gave a presentation on hosted payloads at the Satellite and Content Delivery Conference & Expo (SATCON) conference in New York City. His presentation highlighted the commercial space guidelines within …
Beavin to Speak at Space Entrepreneurship Forum
On September 15, Michael Beavin of the Office of Space Commercialization will speak at the 2nd Annual Space Entrepreneurship Forum on Capitol Hill. The theme of the event is, “What are the Opportunities for African …
Beavin to Chair Panel at AIAA Space 2010
On September 1, Michael Beavin of the Office of Space Commercialization will moderate a panel on “Defining Commercial Space” during the Space 2010 conference organized in Anaheim, California, by the American Institute of Aeronautics and …