A sampling of links to recent space policy, politics, and government (US and international) related space news and resource items that I found of interest (find previous space policy roundups here):

• Schedule:
  • What’s Happening in Space Policy August 23-29, 2020 – SpacePolicyOnline.com
• NASA programs:
  • Compatibility issue adds new wrinkle to Europa Clipper launch vehicle selection – SpaceNews
  • Compatibility Issues Further Complicate Decision on Europa Clipper Launch Vehicle – SpacePolicyOnline.com
  • NASA’s planetary science program shifts priority to asteroid missions – SpaceNews
  • NASA seeks input on Artemis science goals – SpaceNews
• Human spaceflight:
  • Commentary | A critical mission for human spaceflight: a quest for value – SpaceNews
• Trump space:
  • Trump administration urges more commercial activities in space | Space.com
  • Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Administration Research and Development Budget Priorities and Cross-cutting Actions – OMB/OSTP – White House (pdf)
  • White House memo adds low Earth orbit research as R&D priority – SpaceNews
• Regulation:
  • OneWeb Requests FCC Rules Relaxation + SpaceX’s $$ Injection – SatNews
• Space traffic:
  • Managing Space Traffic in an Increasingly Congested Orbit – Government Executive
  • NAPA Endorses Office of Space Commerce for Space Traffic Management Role – SpacePolicyOnline.com
  • Commerce Applauds NAPA Study Reaffirming the Department as the Lead Agency for Space Traffic Management | U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Heavenly Clutter: Report Flags “Looming Crisis in Space” – Leonard David
  • Space Traffic Management:Assessment of the Feasibility, Expected Effectiveness, and Funding Implications of a Transfer of Space Traffic Management Functions – NAPA (pdf)
• US states space:
  • After canceled launch attempts, Kodiak launch port asks for longer window – Alaska Public Media
• Weather satellites:
  • NOAA surveys market for commercial weather data sources – SpaceNews
• Lunar science:
  • Out in the Cold: Protecting the Moon’s Polar Regions – Leonard David
  • Cold as (lunar) ice: Protecting the moon’s polar regions from contamination – Space.com
• US Defense space:
  • Launch:
    • Pentagon plans to keep X-37B spaceplane under Air Force management – Spaceflight Now
    • SpaceX pressing on with protest against U.S. Air Force despite launch contract win – SpaceNews
    • SpaceX presses on with lawsuit against feds and rocket rivals – GeekWire
    • Launch Competition Continues to Advantage Entrenched Contractors | Citizens Against Government Waste
    • Northrop Grumman weighing exit options for OmegA rocket – SpaceNews
  • Satellites & other technologies:
    • Viasat readies a small satellite that promises to be a game-changer in military communications – Inside Viasat blog
    • Space Force technology roadmap to emphasize partnerships with private sector – SpaceNews
    • As he welcomes new space commander, Esper warns of threats to U.S. satellites – SpaceNews
    • New Space Force Is at Forefront of Technology – Defense Department News
  • Organization, budget, etc:
    • US Army Space and Missile Defense Command firms up role with new space organization – Defense News
    • Pentagon’s new space organizations take shape as leadership comes onboard – Defense News
    • Congress, free the Space Force | TheHill
    • JUST IN: Continuing Resolution Could Hit Space Force Hard – National Defense Magazine
  • US Space Force to begin sharing technical space data with UK – c4isrnet.com
  • U.S. military eyes a role in the great power competition for lunar resources – SpaceNews
  • Space Flag, the premier exercise for training space forces, successfully concludes for the first time under STAR Delta Provisional – United States Space Force
• Activism:
  • 2020 Virtual Mars Society Convention to Host Senior Mars Scientists – The Mars Society
  • 23rd Annual International Mars Society Convention – The Mars Society – virtual meeting – Thursday-Sunday, October 15-18, 2020

International space

• Africa:
  • Despite ongoing pandemic, Africa is investing more money in the space and satellite industry – Space in Africa
  • African Space Industry Top 10 Under 30 – Class 2020 – BusinessGhana
  • Azercosmos ties with iSAT Africa to provide satellite services in Africa – SatellitePro ME
  • #SpaceWatchGL Share: Africa is investing more money in space and satellite industry – SpaceWatch.Global
• China:
  • China is aiming to attract partners for an international lunar research station – SpaceNews
  • Op-ed | China must be held accountable for its actions on Earth and in space – SpaceNews
  • China to launch 4 ocean-observation satellites in 2 years – Xinhua
  • China launches fifth Gaofen-9 series Earth observation satellite – SpaceNews
• Europe:
  • EOS Data Analytics’ satellite data to make European mining safer – SpaceWatch.Global
• Egypt:
  • Egyptian Space Agency signs MoU with Japan’s UNISEC on space science cooperation – SatellitePro ME
• Germany:
  • #SpaceWatchGL Opinion: German space policy: the need for a strategy and a corresponding legislation – SpaceWatch.Global
• Hungary:
  • First Hungarian commercial satellite to be launched in 2024 – SpaceWatch.Global
• India:
  • ‘Reforms not aimed at privatising Isro’ – Times of India
  • Announcement of space sector reformation is not privatisation but fair opportunity of participation: ISRO chief – sify.com
  • This is how govt plans to bring together ISRO, private players to boost India’s space sector – ThePrint.in
  • Bharti Enterprises asks ISRO for help developing OneWeb user terminals – SpaceNews
• Oman:
  • Oman’s Public Authority for Water to use satellite tech to detect leaks – SatellitePro ME
• Russia:
  • Russia to continue bilateral dialogue with US on all space issues — diplomat – TASS
  • Russian space firm starts work on new Soyuz-6 carrier rocket – TASS
  • Engineering development of Russian super-heavy rocket to be completed in October 2021 – TASS
  • Angara heavy rocket arrives to northwest Russia’s Plesetsk launch center — source – TASS
  • Launches from Vostochny space center to resume in late 2020 – TASS
  • Russia’s Nauka ISS module arrives at Baikonur for final launch preparations – NASASpaceFlight.com
  • Russian specialists work on mission to bring soil from Venus to the Earth, says scientist – TASS
• UK:
  • Scottish spaceport formally approved by Highland Council – NASASpaceFlight.com
  • Blast off: planners give green light to Highland spaceport | The Scotsman
  • Full approval granted for spaceport in the Scottish Highlands | The National
  • New UK space projects to boost global sustainable development receive £3.4 million cash boost – GOV.UK

Webcasts:

** The Space Show – Fri. Aug.21.2020 – Dr. Louis D. Friedman “talked about his new book [Planetary Adventures: From Moscow to Mars (Amazon commission link)], doing business with the Russians and the Chinese, plus his thoughts on Mars, returning to the Moon, the commercial players today, settlement and more”.

** E29 – The Present and Future of Space Commerce (with Ed Swallow and Kevin O’Connell) – Aerospace Corp – Center for Space Policy & Strategy (CSPS)

** Artemis Westenberg – Getting There With Explore Mars – Cold Star Project S02E57

President emerita of Explore Mars Inc. & CEO of Explore Mars Europe Artemis Westenberg joins host Jason Kanigan on the Cold Star Project. What’s the truth about the American public’s interest in going to Mars? Why should we go there at all? How is private industry likely to get involved? We dig into the political and technological issues necessary to overcome to go to Mars, and what Explore Mars is doing to promote those actions. Artemis also discusses the role of women in the space industry. Explore Mars website: https://www.exploremars.org/

** Episode 22 Space Force and Nuclear Weapons – Michael Listner, Space Law & Policy Solutions. The article discussed is available at Space Force Doctrine Raises Questions About Nuclear Missiles – Air Force Magazine.

** August 18, 2020 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

** August 20, 2020 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast | Behind The Black

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