WASHINGTON — The Commerce Department is moving ahead with plans to implement a voluntary mission authorization system for novel space activities that are not regulated by other agencies.
In a July 23 statement, the Office of Space Commerce, or OSC, said it was “taking the next step forward” on its plans to offer certification to companies proposing space activities not currently overseen by OSC, the Federal Aviation Administration or the Federal Communications Commission.
“After months of effort working with partners and stakeholders in industry, the U.S. federal government and the White House, OSC is making the next giant leap on mission authorization,” the office stated.
The office rolled out its mission authorization proposal, called Space Commerce Certification, in March. Under that voluntary scheme, companies would submit information about their proposed activities to OSC, which would then coordinate an interagency review. The system would operate under a “presumption of approval,” meaning that applications would be automatically granted in 120 days if the office took no action.
OSC did not disclose what prompted the agency to move ahead with Space Commerce Certification. However, at a July 15 hearing of the House Science Committee’s space subcommittee, Taylor Jordan, director of the office, said he was awaiting a White House decision on the proposal.
