Interstellar Insights - November 2024

FAA to update launch regulations.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently announced it is creating a committee to review and update its Part 450 launch and reentry licensing rule. Part 450 was implemented in 2021 to streamline the licensing process but needs more work due to the increase of private launches from American soil, according to the agency.

"The FAA is committed to enabling the success of the US commercial space transportation industry, ensuring the US remains the preeminent commercial space country of choice and maintaining the industry’s strong safety record," FAA officials wrote in the November 14, 2024 announcement. "Reaching a license approval in a timely and efficient manner is central to achieving these outcomes and requires a partnership between the FAA and the industry.

“The Committee offers an opportunity for the government and industry to continue looking for ways to maintain public safety while not hindering the ability of US space companies to effectively compete in a rapidly changing global space economy,” remarked Christian Ford, Chair of DLA Piper’s Space Exploration and Innovation practice. “That said, the rulemaking process itself is typically slow, so it will likely be many months or even years before any proposed changes are formalized.”

Space Force expands its commercial integration cell.

The US Space Force announced this month it will expand the Commercial Integration Cell (CIC), a program designed to integrate commercial space companies with Space Force operations, from 10 to 17 companies.

The CIC was established as a pilot program in 2015 to help space operators identify, diagnose, and resolve satellite anomalies in orbit. CIC members were originally primarily communications and imaging satellite operators, but new members have further capabilities, including space domain awareness. The cell has proven to be useful, previously working to identify and protect assets against a Russian cyberattack and helping alert the public to an unexpected breakup in orbit.

Lieutenant General Douglas Schiess, commander of US Space Forces – Space, said the addition of new members to the CIC reflects the growing importance of commercial space capabilities in military operations.

The future of space-based solar power.

Iceland’s Reykjavik Energy recently signed an agreement with UK startup Space Solar that could see Iceland become the first country to receive power beamed from a space-based solar power (SBSP) plant by 2030.

SBSP is an innovative concept where solar energy is collected in space using satellites and then transmitted to Earth. Solar power satellites equipped with solar panels collect sunlight in space, where there is no atmospheric interference, allowing for more efficient energy collection. NASA released a report earlier this year concluding the implementation of SBSP would be too expensive to implement. Iceland, however, disagrees.

Outside of cost, SBSP has additional pitfalls to work through. The panels themselves must be antonymous enough to work consistently without the need for repair or human intervention. The systems would also require many square miles in area, as would the receiving antenna on Earth. However, these challenges are not limiting innovation. Numerous companies have begun testing the abilities and engineering aspects behind SBSP. With Iceland now on board to test the technology in 2030, further companies and nations may follow suit.

Space industry expands cyber warning center.

The Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Space ISAC) is expanding to the UK and other American allies, aiming to build a global organization that will protect civilian space assets as geopolitical tensions and the dangers of extraterrestrial war grow.

Space ISAC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the security and resilience of space assets. It’s a collaborative platform for sharing information about threats, vulnerabilities, and incidents affecting the space sector by bringing together commercial, international, civil, and military space stakeholders to exchange critical threat intelligence and best practices.

Space ISAC is also looking to expand to Japan and South Korea, stating that democracies have to work together in space.

“National security and space is a growing global concern,” said Christine Daya, Co-Chair of DLA Piper’s National Security and Global Trade practice. “Organizations like Space ISAC are working to create a global community focused on promoting security for individual countries and the world as a whole. As new technologies continue to emerge, space may evolve as the next front-line for war and international attacks. Countries should consider working together now to prepare for, and mitigate, space-based attacks.”