The Sunday episode of The Space Show interviewed Hu Davis and Bill Ketchum about “space infrastructure, SSP [Space Solar Power], SLS, Falcon Heavy, reusability, space policy and U.S. space leadership”: Hu Davis and William (Bill) Ketchum, Sunday, 5-5-13 – TheSpaceShow’s Blog

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Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe includes support for commercial space and the Wallops Island spaceport in his platform: Virginia’s McAuliffe boosts Wallops Island commercial spaceport in gubernatorial bid – Spaceports Blog

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Res Communis posts the latest collection of space and aviation related law, regulation and policy links: Library: A Round-up of Reading.

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Jeff Foust reviews the initial Congressional hearings on the President’s proposed 2014 budget for NASA: Drawing the battle lines for NASA’s 2014 budget – The Space Review.

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Christopher M. Stone responds to a recent Space Safety Magazine editorial regarding export controls and international collaboration: NASA, export control, and collaboration: a bit of clarification – The Space Review

Some recent space policy related items :

• Charles Bolden’s efforts to fund the many NASA projects:
  • NASA Said to Face Soaring Costs Without Budget Approval – Bloomberg
  • Bolden defends commercial crew, asteroid mission, cuts to planetary and education – Space Politics

• Commercial space was on the agenda (pdf) during the University of Nebraska–Lincoln space law program this week: Space travel one of many topics at Lincoln space law conference : The Lincoln Journal Star Online.
• Pat Hynes urges support for the International Space Station: The ISS – Pat Hynes Blog

NASA pays Russia for Soyuz flights while waiting for Congress to fund the commercial crew transport program:

• NASA’s Commercial Crew Catch 22 as another $424m heads to Russia – NASASpaceFlight.com
• NASA uses Soyuz deal to push for commercial crew funding – Space Politics

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A leading astronomy organization criticizes cuts to planetary science programs in the President’s proposed 2014 budget : Astronomers warn about NASA planetary funding cuts – Space Politics

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Pat Hynes urges greater appreciation and support for the ISS: The ISS – Pat Hynes Blog.

An extended look at the President’s proposed NASA budget: Further Analysis of NASA’s 2014 Budget Proposal – The Planetary Society.

The AAS doesn’t like the planetary science funding in the budget:

• American Astronomical Society Criticizes NASA Planetary Science Budget – The Planetary Society
• AAS Issues Statement on Proposed FY 2014 Budget – American Astronomical Society

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Jeff Foust reports on the recent Planetary Defense Conference 2013 in Flagstaff, Arizona and the discussions and studies presented their regarding possible what to do if a large object was found heading towards earth: Planetary defense: deflection and disruption – The Space Review

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Res Communis posts the latest collection of space and aviation law, regulation and policy links: Library: A Round-up of Reading

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There will be a conference at the Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies in Belgium on 12-13 September 2013 that will deal with “legal and policy aspects of the commercial use of space and space tourism”: Call for Papers: Commercial Use of Space & Space Tourism – Legal and Policy Aspects -Res Communis.

Some space policy related items today:

• John Kelly: NASA still aiming for Mars trip – Florida Today
• Nelson quashes speculation on a gubernatorial run – Space Politics
• IAASS Proposes Space Debris Removal Framewok – Space Safety Magazine
• GAO’s Chaplain — Disaggregation May Have Merit, But Challenges, Too
• Gen. Shelton Warns About “Chaos” Caused by Sequestration