Category: News

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

Recent SPI graduates Zeke Clayson, Shiv Patel, and Frank Spellman were interviewed by the T-Minus Space Daily podcast for their capstone project “Space Mission Authorization: Enabling the Final Frontier.”

The podcast is available on the T-Minus Space Daily website, in the adjacent Spotify widget, and can be read in full at War On the Rocks mentioned in a previous post.

SPI Director, Dr. Scott Pace, was quoted in The Washington Post in an article about India’s Chandrayaan-3 Moon landing.

The article “India’s Moon Landing Sets the Tone for a New Type of Space Race” examines India’s space program and its recent lunar mission, compares it with Russia’s unsuccessful landing, and explores the relationship between space and terrestrial geopolitical conditions.

“Space exploration holds continued appeal because it allows governments to show that they are “voting for an optimistic future, … Because we expect to be important countries not only now, but in the future — and space is going to be a part of that future and we intend to be there.”

Dr. Scott Pace

SPI Professor, Dr. Henry Hertzfeld, was quoted in a U.S. News & World Report article regarding recent lunar exploration efforts by India and Russia.

India’s Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on the surface of the Moon, became the fourth nation to do so, and was the first to land near the lunar south pole.

Days prior, Russia’s Luna 25 mission also attempted to land near the lunar south pole, but experienced an anomaly and crashed.

The article analyzes the current state of the Russian space program, contrasts it with India’s recent successes, and extrapolates these lunar missions into the context of larger geopolitical trends.

“It comes at an awkward time for them with India being successful a few days later, … But I think given their history, given the history of the Soviet Union – they’ve landed on the moon before – it wouldn’t surprise me if they came back again at some point with another attempt.”

Dr. Henry Hertzfeld

SPI Director, Dr. Scott Pace, was interviewed by CNBC-TV18, India’s leading business news channel. They discussed Chandrayaan-3, India’s latest lunar lander mission, Mars and the Moon, the role of public and private sector efforts in space, and the justification for space exploration in the context of pressing terrestrial concerns.

As the United States and its partners educate and engage the ‘Artemis Generation’, we need to not only describe exciting technical challenges but also to illustrate the opportunities and pathways by which new generations will personally experience and contribute to this singular adventure.

Dr. Scott Pace

SPI Director, Dr. Scott Pace, was quoted in The Washington Post. The article explores increasing international interest in visiting and establishing a presence on the Moon in the context of more multipolar competition in space.

The article details recent public and private efforts from Russia, India, Israel, Japan, China, and the United States (U.S.), and examines the role of the U.S.-led Artemis Accords in establishing transparency and norms of behavior.

It discusses the increasing competition between the U.S. and China in space, and U.S. concerns regarding China’s lunar ambitions and behavior.

“More and more countries being able to go to the moon, land on the moon, not only does it build capacity and competence, it gets people comfortable working together and builds the scientific community.”

Dr. Scott Pace