National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Appoints Members to New Advisory Committee on Space Commerce
On September 6, 2024, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Space Commerce announced that it had selected the first 17 individuals to serve on the inaugural Advisory Committee on Excellence in Space (ACES).
NOAA noticed the renewal of ACES —established in 2002 as the Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing — on March 13, 2024. ACES is a federal advisory committee that provides advice and recommendations to the NOAA Under Secretary or the Director of the Office of Space Commerce on matters including space sustainability, development of a robust commercial space sector, and practices U.S. entities are to avoid such as (1) harmful contamination of the Moon and other celestial bodies, (2) adverse changes in the environment of the Earth resulting from introduction of extraterrestrial matter, and (3) detrimental effects of the space environment resulting from new or existing space debris[1].
The newly appointed members include individuals from companies such as Northrop Grumman; Axiom Space; GXO, Inc.; SpaceX; and Amazon Kupier. With experience spanning space policy, engineering, technical, science, law, and finance, the “Committee will function solely as an advisory body” examining issues affecting growth, sustainability, and leadership of U.S. commercial space activities, NOAA .
As the burgeoning commercial space sector begins to take shape, government agencies that have long worked in coordination with the private space sector are now taking steps to engage directly in the sector’s development. The Office of Space Commerce aims to convene the first public ACES meeting in Washington, D.C., this fall, where members will set priorities and begin shaping strategies to address issues affecting the commercial space sector. NOAA intends to appoint additional members to ACES in 2025 on a staggered cycle of two-year terms.
While the industry is still very young, companies with interests in energy and the environment should continue to monitor these developments closely as the rules and principles governing the growing commercial space sector take shape.
[1] See NOAA, ACES Charter.
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