SpaceNotes Edition 12, September 29, 2021
CAPITOL HILL MATTERS
The Senate is expected to vote as early this evening on a standalone CR through 3 Dec. The measure was hotlined last night. The Senate will send the House a clean CR, which the House will approve and send onto POTUS, averting a government shutdown. In the House, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), House Majority Leader, has left room in the schedule today to vote on any clean CR that comes over from the Senate. As Congressional Quarterly points out, “It’s still not clear how a stand-alone debt limit bill would advance in the Senate, where bipartisan support is required for the 60-vote procedural hurdle — unless unanimous consent is granted to drop that requirement.” Of note, The House Rules Committee will meet this morning to advance a bill that would suspend the federal debt limit through December 2022
Yesterday, we learned that the SASC has scheduled a confirmation hearing for Mr. Andrew Hunter, Nominee to be Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, among others, for 5 Oct at 0930. Mr. Hunter was nominated by the POTUS on 16 Jul.
Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), ranking member, SAC, said a short time ago that he thinks a CR without debt limit provisions is on the “right path,” though he’s not sure about timing. “Today is possible. We’ll have to see. I think tomorrow is more probable,” Shelby said.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Majority Leader, reiterated this morning he won’t use the reconciliation tool to raise the debt limit. Some House Democrats are opposed to raising the debt limit although Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), House Majority Leader, said this morning, “I think we’re going to get there” on the standalone debt ceiling measure today.
Sen. John Thune (R-SD), Senate Minority Whip, said the chamber could vote on the CR as soon as this evening, though he said Republicans want amendment votes.
SA – The House Rules Committee approved, by 7-3 vote, a closed rule for floor consideration of the legislative vehicle (S 1301) for a measure to suspend the debt limit through 16 Dec 2022. Democratic leaders have reached an agreement with moderates to vote on debt limit. The group will no longer block it on the floor.
US SPACE FORCE AND US SPACE COMMAND MATTERS
Gen. John Raymond, Chief of Space Operations, was referenced in an additional SpaceNews story based on a recent event he attended with Daniel Hastings, professor and head of MIT’s Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics. Erwin writes, “Hastings recently hosted the chief of space operations of the U.S. Space Force Gen. John “Jay” Raymond for the signing of a partnership between MIT and the Space Force to identify opportunities in research and education. The agreement with MIT is one of several the Space Force has signed with academic institutions under the University Partnership Program. The Space Force is looking to establish scholarship, internship and mentorship opportunities for students and ROTC cadets.”
WHITE HOUSE MATTERS
According to Politico Pro, “an obscure presidential advisory board still led by one of former President Donald Trump’s more controversial aides is pressing Biden to dramatically reduce government secrecy on everything from military space programs to historical records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.” This aide the story references is Ezra Cohen. “Cohen said one of his major priorities is to advise President Biden and other administration officials of the need to reduce the level of classification of space-related programs so that more government officials, contractors and foreign allies who need access have it. “I consistently hear from space professionals in the government and private sector that the cost of over classification is becoming so burdensome on the industry that it is suppressing innovation and the development of cutting-edge space technologies,” he said.” As the story indicates, “The push to reduce the classification of space and other programs also has the backing of some top generals and members of Congress.” They also reference the NDAA passed by the House last week that includes a provision requiring the Space Force to “conduct a review of each classified program managed under the authority of the Space Force to determine whether the level of classification of the program could be changed to a lower level or the program could be declassified.”
NASA MATTERS
Sandra Erwin of SpaceNews picked up on comments made by Bhavya Lal, senior advisor for budget and finance at NASA, comparing Space Traffic Management to the debate over how to address climate change. “There are lessons we can learn from other domains. The climate challenge is almost identical. We want to put out fewer greenhouse gases, we want to remove the greenhouse gases … there’s discussions about carbon tax and trade schemes, a host of solutions that are being examined,” Lal said. As Erwin points out, “Concerns are rising about congested orbits amid a huge expansion in the number of satellites being launched into orbit to provide services such as communications, navigation and Earth observation.” Full story: https://spacenews.com/panel-orbital-debris-problem-is-a-lot-like-trying-to-fix-climate-change/
SPACE THREAT MATTERS
In their latest piece, Colin Clark and Theresa Hitchens pose the question, “Did Kendall Reveal Chinese Threat?” Clark and Hitchens write, “When Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall used his Sept. 20 keynote speech at the annual Air Force Association conference to claim that China is developing the ability to launch “global strikes from space” against US targets, it raised more than a few eyebrows and sent military analysts scrambling … In a speech focused on Chinese threats, this line stood out: new PRC capabilities, Kendall said, include “precision weapons with steadily increasingly range … including the potential for global strikes, strikes from space.” That’s a major claim, and one Kendall had to know would make waves at the conference. Some analysts believed Kendall, an unapologetic China hawk, was hyping the Chinese threat. Others felt that he was just trying to send a broad message about the speed with which the People’s Liberation Army is developing and fielding weapons. But it appears Kendall was basing his statement on highly classified information.” Todd Harrison, director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), “was even more skeptical” according to the story and is quoted as saying, “It sounds like he may have misspoken or may have confused this with something else China is doing, like hypersonic glide missiles.” According to the piece, “Kendall said he had no specific knowledge that the Chinese are pursuing a space to Earth weapon, but said “it could be possible” and suggested this idea would be attractive to the Chinese because FOBS systems are hard to detect by early-warning satellites.” Full story: https://breakingdefense.com/2021/09/global-strike-from-space-did-kendall-reveal-chinese-threat/
THINK TANKS, CONFERENCES, ETC MATTERS
Thanks to Jaelyn Dupree of Partners in Air & Space for the attached notes from Tuesday’s Space Sector Market Conference with Dr. Derek Tournear, Kevin O’Connell, and Col. Eric Felt. According to Dupree, “Dr. Tournear discussed his dedication to maintaining a fast pace once SDA is absorbed into SF. Mr. O’Connell highlighted the significance and benefits of growth in commercial investment. Col. Felt focused his discussion on opportunities for gathering and managing data. All speakers emphasized the importance of sustaining the space sector supply chain.” According to Dupree, “Maj. Gen. Miller broke down main areas of focus, his four major Ps, in his deterrence approach. The Ps are posture, persistent engagement, practice, and partnerships. He asks that government and industry keep these in mind when thinking about developing and testing. During the Q&A portion, Maj. Gen. Miller discussed the need to expand into cislunar, missions and capabilities SF are considering ‘as a service’, USSC AOR, the importance of STARCOM, educating the public, and balancing resources to field in the timeframe necessary.”
According to National Defense Magazine, Experts say artificial intelligence — which has wide applications across the military, civil and private sectors — will be critical to furthering space technology as the cosmos becomes more contested. https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/9/27/ai-key-to-unlocking-new-space-applications
