A letter written by SPI Director Dr. Scott Pace was featured by Issues in Science and Technology. Dr. Pace’s letter responded to the recently published “Why Space Debris Flies Through Regulatory Gaps“, which discusses the challenges and complexities of regulating space debris, the overlapping authorities of various U.S. agencies, and the evolving efforts to address space debris threats as commercial space activities grow.

Titled “Let The White House Authorize New Space Activities,” Dr. Pace’s letter praised the authors for shedding light on the complexities of commercial space regulation, and emphasized the importance of regulatory framework given the rising concerns about orbital debris. However, his letter critiques the idea of placing “mission authorization” with the FCC due to its independence from the executive branch, and suggests the Department of Commerce as a more logical oversight body that would allow the White House to retain authority to resolve potential conflicts.

“The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has sought to fill current regulatory lacunae, proposing regulations not only for orbital debris but also for on-orbit satellite, servicing, and assembly. Such regulations may be only thinly related to existing FCC authorities and clearly go beyond the powers explicitly authorized by Congress.”

Dr. Scott Pace