SWF Submits Letter to Congress on Commercial Space Development and the Outer Space Treaty

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

On May 23, 2017, the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness held a hearing on “Reopening the American Frontier: Exploring How the Outer Space Treaty Will Impact American Commerce and Settlement in Space.” The purpose of the hearing was to examine the relationship of the Outer Space Treaty to the ongoing development of the U.S. commercial space industry.

In response to the hearing, SWF submitted a letter for the record in support of the Subcommittee’s deliberations, which included suggestions for promoting commercial development in space. SWF believes that continuing to support the Outer Space Treaty while further enhancing U.S. national oversight frameworks will be the best method for promoting commercial development in space. 

The Outer Space Treaty provides the foundational level of certainty in the international system that commercial space entrepreneurs, businesses, and capital sources require to develop further innovative activities. SWF suggests that domestic space law, in conjunction with multilateral dialogue, is the best avenue to address any gaps regarding emerging activities in space. 

The full letter can be read here. A recording of the webcast is available here.