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AIA Ramps Up Commercial Space Committee

NASA is increasingly looking at commercial flight for reaching the International Space Station, and the recent National Space Policy also makes a number of references to commercial space options. In response, the AIA Space Council has elected to ramp up its Commercial Space Committee to address increased interest in commercial space endeavors.

“Commercial space has matured quite a bit since my first days as the FAA administrator, when I oversaw the Office of Commercial Space Transportation” said AIA President and CEO Marion C. Blakey. “But we need to carefully examine the future of this sector without using rose-colored glasses.”

“Too often what we hear publicly about commercial space is clouded by individual interests,” Blakey continued. “I think AIA has the unique opportunity to advocate on behalf of this sector of our industry from an unbiased perspective.”

AIA has increased its membership substantially over the last year, with nine of 26 new members joining the AIA Space Council. Many of these newcomers have strong interests in the commercial side of the space business. As a result, AIA’s membership is unrivaled in its depth and diversity and is well-positioned to provide a balanced venue that truly represents the aerospace industry and our commercial space interests in Washington.

The goal of the committee is to give industry the broad voice it deserves when it comes to the growing commercial space sector, especially as America experiences serious challenges in the larger space industrial base and strains in federal spending.

The Commercial Space Committee was chartered by the AIA Executive Committee in 2005, but until now it has always met in conjunction with the Civil Space Committee. With the growing recognition that commercial space systems are important to our nation's space efforts, the timing was right to have the committee meet independently.

AIA Source: andrew.barber[at]aia-aerospace.org