Newsroom

AIA Backs Space Commerce Bill

October 23, 2007

A bill proposed by the Commerce Department would bolster the U.S. government's commercial space activities and strengthen the industry as a whole, AIA President and CEO John Douglass said. The bill is extremely important to ensure the success of the growing list of space commerce services people rely on every day, including wireless communications and Global Positioning System technologies, Douglass said. "The U.S. aerospace industry strongly backs this bill and appreciates the Commerce Department's commitment to this vital sector," Douglass said. "This market must continue to grow to keep up with public demand for its services, and this bill is key to fostering that development." The bill would reauthorize the Office of Space Commercialization and return it to its original name -- the Office of Space Commerce -- to more accurately reflect its functions. It would update the office's responsibilities to implement policies supporting space commerce while recognizing its role to promote important geospatial technologies like GPS and space-based remote sensing imagery. The OSC is an important link between the commercial space industry and federal government, Douglass said. It works to foster the industry by removing barriers to growth, enhancing U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace. The bill would also make the OSC responsible for the U.S. Space-Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Policy Executive Committee and Coordination Office. That office manages GPS policy issues on a national basis.