State Department Creates New Framework to Guide Space Policy Activities

The Department of State has published a framework to ensure its efforts focused on space policy and space diplomacy correspond with national space policy and the 2021 Space Priorities Framework.

According to Jennifer Littlejohn, acting assistant secretary of state for oceans and international environmental and scientific affairs, the new framework focuses on coordinating existing efforts to perform them in a more coherent, clear and transparent manner, SpaceNews reported.

Such efforts include supporting the U.S.-led Artemis Accords, which promotes sustainable space exploration, affirms the importance of implementing best practices and norms of responsible behavior and strengthens the implementation of key obligations in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.  

Over 20 countries, including Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, signed the accords. Littlejohn said implementing the framework is among the signatories’ priorities for 2023. She noted that the countries expressed interest in engaging in meaningful conversation about safe, sustainable and responsible deep space exploration.

The signatories have formed working groups to help advance the framework’s implementation. A team led by the United States, for example, is working to identify ways to enhance the coordination of lunar surface activities.