Kamala Harris to Set National Space Council’s Priorities

White House officials said that Vice President Kamala Harris will put her own “personal stamp” on the National Space Council that the Trump administration revived in June 2017.

As the second incarnation of the National Aeronautics and Space Council, the NSC develops policies related to civil, commercial, national security and international space matters.

Senior White House officials previously told reporters that the Biden administration would retain the NSC, which the vice president chairs by law, SpaceNews reported.

According to one official, Harris will work will NSC members and other stakeholders before holding the first full meeting.

Another official told reporters that the Biden administration shares some priorities with past administrations that had an NSC or equivalent council.

Such priorities include bolstering the United States’ technological advantage to maintain leadership in civil, commercial and national security.

The officials added that the vice president will shape the council’s priorities to include climate change, cybersecurity and science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.

Other priorities will include the sustainable development of commercial space activities, advocacy for norms and behaviors for peaceful space activities and the push for international cooperation in space exploration.

Senior military officials have raised concerns over the growing number of satellites orbiting the earth amid a growing commercial space sector.

Gen. James Dickinson, commander of the U.S. Space Command, warned that space congestion could cause safety problems and complicate access to the space domain.

He attributed the growing number of satellites to companies such as SpaceX, Planet and Spire, which host three of the largest satellite constellations today.