| June 22, 2010 |  |
UCS Issues Briefing Paper on Obama Administration’s Space Policy
The Obama administration is expected to release its National Space Policy sometime in the next few weeks. This public summary of the administration’s main principles and goals for using space will supersede the Bush administration’s policy, which was issued in 2006.
The document will provide high-level guidance and set broad priorities for U.S. policies regarding the use of space. Historically these guidelines have been very general, with few, if any, specific prescriptions for programs. However, changes in language that appear minor can reflect significant changes in U.S. policy.
Press attention likely will focus on the National Space Policy’s implications for changes at NASA and the future of the piloted spacecraft program, but experts at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) point out that the document language also will indicate how the Obama administration will approach space security, which is more important internationally. If the administration’s public statements are any indication, the new policy likely will represent a return to a more international approach to space; a more balanced view of civil, commercial and military uses of space; and a greater openness to arms control and cooperative solutions to international space security issues.
UCS today posted a backgrounder on its website by David Wright, co-director of UCS’s Global Security Program, and Laura Grego, a senior scientist with the program, that offers an overview of the key security issues surrounding the National Space Policy. Both Wright and Grego are available for interviews.
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
