Space Frontier Foundation Celebrates Milestone Bill for Commercial Space Industry

SILICON VALLEY, Calif. – The Space Frontier Foundation applauds the signing of the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (H.R. 2262) into law, and thanks all those involved in the passage of the landmark bill. With the passage of this legislation, the Space Frontier Foundation now calls on all space supporters to further ensure the successful economic development and settlement of space through the passage of two bills – the Space Exploration, Development and Settlement Act (SEDS) and the Cheap Access to Space Act (CATS). These three bills lay the legal groundwork for space settlement.

“The signing of CSLCA marks a historic, exciting moment in humanity’s enduring quest to explore the unknown,” said Hannah Kerner, executive director of the Space Frontier Foundation. “As Americans, the bill extends our free-market values into space, which is absolutely essential if we are going to succeed at creating an environment where commercial space businesses thrive.”

The extension of the learning period to Oct. 1, 2023 provides regulatory clarity for commercial companies in the United States, enabling them to continue testing innovations in human spaceflight. The bill also extends the same insurance protection provided to users and operators of spacecraft to spaceflight participants. Finally, it sets the precedent for entities to own resources that they extract from space.

“The American people should be very excited about this bill,” said Aaron Oesterle, policy director of the Space Frontier Foundation. “However, it’s not over yet. Achieving cheap access to space, an American goal since the Space Shuttle, is key to the space industry’s success. It will strengthen US national security, enable global broadband and allow us to better predict natural disasters – and that’s just the start.”

The CATS Act is a bill authorizing the U.S. Department of Commerce to offer a prize intended to incentivize the commercial development of a fully reusable launch vehicle, lowering the cost of traveling to space, therefore lowering the barrier to entry for new businesses to enter the market. Additionally, the SEDS Act ensures that development and settlement of space is an official part of NASA’s mission.

“Today, the commercial space industry has received critical clarity on the legislative environment. Space and space-related companies can start building sustainable businesses that create jobs, grow the economy and inspire generations of explorers,” added Kerner.

Contacts:
Space Frontier Foundation
Alexandra Abrams
(925) 918-0081, alexandra.abrams@spacefrontier.org