Austin News

U.S. Senators John Cornyn, Gary Peters, Marsha Blackburn, Eric Schmitt, Mark Kelly, and Roger Wicker have introduced the Situational Awareness of Flying Elements in (SAFE) Orbit Act. The bill aims to encourage the development of commercial space capabilities by directing the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) within the U.S. Department of Commerce to acquire and disseminate unclassified data, analytics, information, and services on space activities and space traffic coordination, particularly in low-earth orbit.

According to Senator Cornyn, "Building our knowledge of objects orbiting in space and their surrounding environments will help us mitigate the risks associated with space exploration and commercial space development." The SAFE Orbit Act would require the Office of Space Commerce to collect and share relevant data to strengthen space situational awareness and space traffic coordination efforts.

Senator Peters emphasized the importance of protecting people and assets in space for maintaining U.S. leadership in commercial space activity. He stated, "This bill would empower the Office of Space Commerce to conduct space situational awareness and space traffic coordination activities to ensure that the expansion of commercial and other space activities is safe, successful, and U.S.-led."

The SAFE Orbit Act would centralize and improve space traffic coordination, ensuring that collisions in space are avoided. Senator Blackburn stated, "As we enter this new frontier, we must be certain that we prioritize safety and coordination with our partners around the globe."

Senator Schmitt, Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Space and Science, emphasized the need for safe and open access to space for commercial and civil operators. He stated, "By providing a clear and standardized process for accessing space operation data through government and industry coordination, this bill will ensure continued access and growth in space for the commercial space industry."

Senator Kelly highlighted the outdated systems used to track objects in the earth's orbit and the need for improvement. He said, "The SAFE Orbit Act is a long overdue step towards improving the way we track space traffic and debris."

Senator Wicker emphasized the potential of the emerging commercial space sector but stressed the importance of technological preparation. He stated, "Progress cannot be prevented by poor preparation."

The SAFE Orbit Act would allow the Office of Space Commerce to conduct space situational awareness and space traffic coordination activities. It would make basic-level SSA data, analytics, information, and services available for public use through an easily accessible web-based interface at no charge. The Office of Space Commerce would also maintain a public catalog of SSA data and information and collaborate with government and foreign operators to encourage data-sharing.

This legislation is endorsed by the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, which represents more than 85 members, including many companies with operations in Texas.

In conclusion, the introduction of the SAFE Orbit Act aims to enhance space situational awareness and space traffic coordination to ensure the safety and success of commercial and other space activities. The bill would centralize and improve space traffic coordination efforts, prioritize data standardization, and facilitate collaboration with government and foreign operators.