Washington, DC March 13, 1998 – The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee approved and sent to the full Senate the Commercial Space Act late Thursday, setting the stage for the final vote to approve what started in the House last year as House Bill 1702, a move to establish new ground rules for the U.S. Space industry and remote sensing firms. The bill also contains language that gives the federal government the rights to regulate reusable space vehicles.
The committee’s action at this early stage of congressional business gives the act a chance for final passage, something that supporters have tried for the past two years to accomplish in vain.
The bill also calls for the Defense Department to launch a review of all military spaceports and
address potential roadblocks to increased commercial space launch. The law
will also bolster U.S. commercial remote sensing firms and reduce licensing
waiting times and regulatory requirements.
