Is State Dept.’s AUKUS trade certification delay a sign of choppy waters ahead?

Is State Dept.’s AUKUS trade certification delay a sign of choppy waters ahead?
Is State Dept.’s AUKUS trade certification delay a sign of choppy waters ahead?

Ann McDonnell, chief operating officer for Export Controls Australia Group, told Breaking Defense, “I think definitely from the Australian perspective, it really seemed like we had done everything possible that we could do in a really quick timeframe to get that certification.”

Commerce’s ‘Global Vision’ for tracking on orbit systems emphasizes international coordination

Commerce’s ‘Global Vision’ for tracking on orbit systems emphasizes international coordination
Commerce’s ‘Global Vision’ for tracking on orbit systems emphasizes international coordination

A global ecosystem that shares space situational awareness data can secure a safe future for space, but much greater international coordination is needed, according to a new document from the Office of Space Commerce.

New Biden space rules framework: ‘Expedited’ license review, ‘sustainability’ goals

New Biden space rules framework: ‘Expedited’ license review, ‘sustainability’ goals
New Biden space rules framework: ‘Expedited’ license review, ‘sustainability’ goals

“This oversight regime will balance economic competitiveness together with safety, security, sustainability, and responsibility,” states the new United States Novel Space Activities Authorization and Supervision Framework.

Pentagon plans to transfer ‘high accuracy’ space tracking data to Commerce

Pentagon plans to transfer ‘high accuracy’ space tracking data to Commerce
Pentagon plans to transfer ‘high accuracy’ space tracking data to Commerce

“Commercial data, commercial processing is not classified. It does not matter that the DoD wishes it were,” said Barbara Golf, special advisor to Space Systems Command.

NOAA eases licensing restrictions on commercial remote sensing

NOAA eases licensing restrictions on commercial remote sensing
NOAA eases licensing restrictions on commercial remote sensing

The changes included, among other things, the removal some restrictions on non-Earth imaging and rapid revsits of ground targets, NOAA explained, “and most notably,” a removal of all of the restrictions imposed in 2020 on X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR).

Commerce slates mid-July for next round of space traffic ‘industry engagements’

Commerce slates mid-July for next round of space traffic ‘industry engagements’
Commerce slates mid-July for next round of space traffic ‘industry engagements’

“As the world gets more complicated, and there are more and more [space situational awareness] providers, the issue of who pays will be one which continually gets battered around,” said Richard DalBello, the Office of Space Commerce.

Commerce’s initial space safety system will lean ‘heavily’ on DoD data

Commerce’s initial space safety system will lean ‘heavily’ on DoD data
Commerce’s initial space safety system will lean ‘heavily’ on DoD data

DoD is working with Commerce to provide expertise on how to crunch space observational data, said Travis Langster, DoD principal director for space policy.

NORTHCOM chief: Homeland defense could be imperiled by commercial spectrum sale

NORTHCOM chief: Homeland defense could be imperiled by commercial spectrum sale
NORTHCOM chief: Homeland defense could be imperiled by commercial spectrum sale

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on March 5 sent a letter to Congress endorsing a plan for sharing the disputed 3.1-3.45 spectrum band — but also opening the possibility that DoD could vacate it entirely, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Industry squabbles on need for novel space regulation as White House deliberates

Industry squabbles on need for novel space regulation as White House deliberates
Industry squabbles on need for novel space regulation as White House deliberates

“And as weird as that sounds, you know, from an industry guy, I absolutely need regulation and enforcement,” said Tory Bruno, CEO of rocket maker ULA. “Because one bad actor can ruin that entire common environment for all of us.”

Commerce eases satellite exports to MTCR partners; South Korea a key focus

Commerce eases satellite exports to MTCR partners; South Korea a key focus
Commerce eases satellite exports to MTCR partners; South Korea a key focus

The new policy does not change the restrictions for exports of rockets or drones designated by the MTCR as Category 1 systems.

The 5 big worries the Commerce Department has about space traffic management

The 5 big worries the Commerce Department has about space traffic management
The 5 big worries the Commerce Department has about space traffic management

“China is a major space player and will be a major space player. They are not participating in the global dialogue, and in global information sharing on SSA. That’s unsustainable,” said Richard DalBello, head of the Commerce Department’s Office of Space Commerce.

New ‘strike force’ tasked with safeguarding US tech

New ‘strike force’ tasked with safeguarding US tech
New ‘strike force’ tasked with safeguarding US tech

“In the best case scenario, this initiative will help shore up vulnerabilities to illicit technology transfer and violations of export controls on emerging technologies,” analyst Lindsay Gorman said.

LeoLab’s newest space tracking radar expands Indo-Pacific coverage

LeoLab’s newest space tracking radar expands Indo-Pacific coverage
LeoLab’s newest space tracking radar expands Indo-Pacific coverage

“More geographic coverage helps revisit rates, so we see satellites more frequently. Which is quite critical,” LeoLabs CEO Dan Ceperley told Breaking Defense.

EXCLUSIVE: Commerce’s draft space traffic management service goes beyond DoD’s baseline

EXCLUSIVE: Commerce’s draft space traffic management service goes beyond DoD’s baseline
EXCLUSIVE: Commerce’s draft space traffic management service goes beyond DoD’s baseline

Industry representatives meeting with Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves on Tuesday “stressed the need for [Commerce] to work quickly to field the new capabilities — ideally by buying and redistributing existing commercial products — in order to maintain leadership in the face of competing SSA offerings from the EU and China,” a Commerce official told Breaking Defense today.