White House Framework Supplements Provisions Under Novel Private Sector Space Activities Act

The White House has released the framework supplementing the bill it submitted to Congress in November that assigns roles to the Departments of Commerce and Transportation in regulating novel space activities. 

Vice President Kamala Harris disclosed the proposed legislation’s supplement, called the United States Novel Space Activities Authorization and Supervision Framework, during the National Space Council’s meeting on Wednesday. 

The framework for the Authorization and Supervision of Novel Private Sector Space Activities Act filed earlier will put the executive branch in a better position to regulate the future space environment, the White House said.  

The framework’s key elements include DOC and DOT options to either expand or create federal advisory committees on the safety and security of space activities. Another framework provision directs the departments to use their internal processes to propose best practices guidance to private sector space activities. 

The framework also envisions a Private Sector Space Activities Interagency Steering Group as a resource for the regulatory agencies’ formulation of longer-term policies and best practices. 

A related bill, the Commercial Space Act of 2023, has been filed and is pending in Congress for the establishment of a Commerce Department mission authorization system and the transfer of the department’s civil space traffic coordination function to a nonprofit or academic-led consortium.