Space Safety and Situational Awareness Transition Act of 2022 or the Space SSA Transition Act of 2022
This bill sets out a process to transition responsibilities for space situational awareness capabilities (i.e., the knowledge and characterization of space objects and their operational environment to facilitate decisions that support safe, stable, and sustainable space activities) from the Department of Defense to the Department of Commerce by December 31, 2025. The bill requires the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to establish research and development programs related to space situational awareness.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9534 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9534
To promote space safety and provide for policy, planning, and agency
roles and responsibilities for the transition to a civil space
situational awareness capability of certain space situational awareness
activities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 14, 2022
Mr. Beyer (for himself and Mr. Norcross) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To promote space safety and provide for policy, planning, and agency
roles and responsibilities for the transition to a civil space
situational awareness capability of certain space situational awareness
activities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Space Safety and
Situational Awareness Transition Act of 2022'' or the ``Space SSA
Transition Act of 2022''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations for fiscal year 2024.
TITLE II--POLICY
Sec. 201. Findings.
Sec. 202. Sense of Congress on United States Government responsibility.
Sec. 203. United States policy.
TITLE III--TRANSITION TO CIVIL SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS CAPABILITY
Sec. 301. Sense of Congress on need for transition.
Sec. 302. Interagency Transition Team.
TITLE IV--AGENCY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF CIVIL
SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TRANSITION
Sec. 401. Space situational awareness services and information.
Sec. 402. Organizational management structure for space situational
awareness services and information.
TITLE V--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Sec. 501. Informing and improving space situational awareness.
Sec. 502. Research strategy.
TITLE VI--OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Sec. 601. Cybersecurity plan.
Sec. 602. Study on international cooperation in space situational
awareness.
Sec. 603. Report on international data sharing agreements.
TITLE VII--GAO REVIEW
Sec. 701. GAO review.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' has the
meaning given such term in section 10101 of title 51, United
States Code.
(2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' has the
meaning given such term in section 10101 of title 51, United
States Code.
(3) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Armed
Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on
Armed Services of the Senate.
(4) DoD.--The term ``DoD'' means the Department of Defense.
(5) NASA.--The term ``NASA'' means the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration.
(6) NOAA.--The term ``NOAA'' means the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration of the Department of Commerce.
(7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Commerce.
(8) Space object.--The term ``space object'' means any
artificial object or system, including components or pieces
thereof, orbiting or passing through outer space.
(9) Space operator.--The term ``space operator'' means the
person or entity that has responsibility for commanding
operations of a space object in outer space.
(10) Space situational awareness.--The term ``space
situational awareness'' means the knowledge and
characterization of space objects and their operational
environment to facilitate decisions that support safe, stable,
and sustainable space activities.
(11) Space traffic coordination.--The term ``space traffic
coordination'' means the planning, assessment, and on-orbit
coordination of activities to enhance the safety, stability,
and sustainability of operations in the space environment.
TITLE I--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
To carry out this Act, there is authorized to be appropriated for
fiscal year 2024--
(1) to the Department of Commerce, $95,000,000; and
(2) to NASA, $50,000,000.
TITLE II--POLICY
SEC. 201. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Commercial activity in space is accelerating to meet
the global demand for a growing commercial space market.
(2) Space is becoming more congested, particularly in some
orbital regimes, with the number of active satellites
increasing significantly over the past ten years and continuing
to grow.
(3) Orbital debris ranging from sub-millimeter-sized debris
to large defunct rocket bodies and inoperable spacecraft
threatens the safety of orbital operations.
(4) Space situational awareness provides the foundation for
understanding--
(A) where objects, both active and inactive, are
located and for predicting where satellites or debris
will be in the future; and
(B) the distribution of orbital debris and the risk
they pose to operational satellites and crewed
spacecraft.
(5) United States leadership in coordinating international
efforts on space situational awareness is essential for the
safety and sustainability of the space environment, including
human activities in outer space.
(6) Conducting safe and responsible space operations will
have a major impact on the sustainability of space activities,
and in turn for the prosperity and national security of the
United States.
(7) To date, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the
Commander, United States Space Command, has been providing
certain space situational awareness services and information to
Federal Government, commercial and international space
operators, and the international community, including warnings
of potential conjunctions.
SEC. 202. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY.
It is the sense of Congress that the United States Government, in
coordination with other countries and the private sector, has a
responsibility to be a good steward of the space environment. It is the
further sense of Congress that the United States Government should--
(1) lead in practices and policies to maintain a safe,
sustainable space environment for civil, national security, and
commercial use;
(2) provide validated space situational awareness services
and information as public goods for the purposes of promoting
on-orbit operational safety;
(3) develop a coordinated and integrated approach to
improving and delivering space situational awareness services
and information;
(4) leverage, to the maximum extent practicable, commercial
innovation and capabilities relevant to space situational
awareness;
(5) lead collaborations with international and non-
governmental entities, including satellite operators and space
situational awareness services and information providers, as
appropriate, on space situational awareness and on best
practices regarding space traffic coordination that--
(A) support the growth of commerce in space and
foster a competitive United States commercial space
industry; and
(B) promote innovation in technology and operations
while improving safety;
(6) lead the international community in collaborations on
practices and approaches that advance a sustainable and
accessible space environment; and
(7) transition to the Department of Commerce certain space
situational awareness services and information, including
public conjunction notifications, from the Department of
Defense.
SEC. 203. UNITED STATES POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States to--
(1) make publicly and continually available, free of direct
user fees, validated space situational awareness services and
information, including conjunction data messages;
(2) continue to enhance and improve the accuracy and
precision of the services and information referred to in
paragraph (1);
(3) make available to governmental and non-governmental
space operators space safety and sustainability tools, private
sector-led voluntary consensus standards, and risk mitigation
information and practices;
(4) support interdisciplinary research and development to
promote space safety and improve space situational awareness;
(5) support mechanisms for transitioning into operational
activities the research and development described in paragraph
(4);
(6) support the use, where validated and practicable, of
commercial technologies, data, systems, and services that can
supplement and enhance United States Government-provided space
situational awareness services and information;
(7) ensure the Federal Government remains the United States
authoritative source for United States conjunction data
messages;
(8) promote and facilitate the development and encourage
the adoption of private sector-led voluntary consensus
standards and best practices for space situational awareness;
and
(9) lead international collaborations to the widest extent
possible on a framework for internationally harmonized space
situational awareness and best practices for space traffic
coordination.
TITLE III--TRANSITION TO CIVIL SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS CAPABILITY
SEC. 301. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON NEED FOR TRANSITION.
It is the sense of Congress that the DoD continues to make
essential contributions to the safety of the space environment by
providing space operators with services and information for managing
the safe operations of United States Government, commercial, and non-
United States space operations, in accordance with section 2274 of
title 10, United States Code. It is the further sense of Congress that
the growing number of space objects has created an increasing demand
for improved accuracy and precision of space situational awareness
services and information for space operators, which requires personnel
and resources that are not related to the DoD's primary mission.
Therefore, it is the sense of Congress that the President should
provide all necessary support to plan for an effective transition to
the Department of Commerce from the Department of Defense of certain
space situational awareness services and information.
SEC. 302. INTERAGENCY TRANSITION TEAM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the Secretary of Defense, in
coordination with the Administrator, shall establish an Interagency
Transition Team for Space Situational Awareness (in this Act referred
to as the ``Interagency Transition Team'') to lead the planning,
assessment, and transition of certain activities carried out under
section 2274 of title 10, United States Code, as appropriate, from the
existing DoD-based space situational awareness operations to a civil
space situational awareness capability under the Secretary.
(b) Leadership and Composition.--The Interagency Transition Team
established pursuant to subsection (a) shall--
(1) be led by--
(A) a Senior Executive Service-level official (in
this Act referred to as the ``Team Chair'') appointed
by the Secretary; and
(B) a Senior Executive Service or Flag Officer
level official (in this Act referred to as the ``Team
Vice Chair'') appointed by the Secretary of Defense;
and
(2) include--
(A) a dedicated team of Federal Government
employees from relevant Federal agencies, including the
DoD and NASA, with experience and expertise in space
situational awareness activities, including tracking,
data processing, conjunction assessment, and space
operations;
(B) the Director of the Office of Space Commerce;
(C) the Deputy Commander of United States Space
Command; and
(D) the Commander of United States Space Force
Space Operations Command.
(c) Responsibilities.--
(1) In general.--The Interagency Transition Team shall--
(A) develop and support a Transition Plan (as
described in subsection (d)) for the planning,
assessment, and transition of certain activities,
including the issuance of conjunction data messages,
carried out under section 2274 of title 10, United
States Code, to a civil space situational awareness
capability under the Secretary;
(B) in consultation with the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, standards organizations, and
private industry, promote and facilitate the
development and encourage the adoption of private
sector-led voluntary consensus standards and best
practices for space situational awareness;
(C) establish definitions for an initial
operational capability and a full operational
capability for a civil space situational awareness
capability; and
(D) carry out an assessment of--
(i) Federal Government and non-government
space situational awareness capabilities and
needs for an initial operational capability and
a full operational capability; and
(ii) Federal Government and non-government
best practices regarding risk mitigation and
collision avoidance.
(2) Agency agreements.--
(A) With the secretary of defense.--The Secretary
and the Secretary of Defense shall enter into one or
more interagency agreements providing for cooperation
and collaboration related to the transition of certain
space situational awareness services and information in
accordance with this Act.
(B) With the administrator.--The Secretary and the
Administrator may enter into one or more interagency
agreements providing for cooperation and collaboration
related to the transition of certain space situational
awareness services and information in accordance with
this Act.
(3) Milestones.--The Interagency Transition Team shall
ensure--
(A) the demonstration of an initial operational
capability by not later than September 30, 2024; and
(B) the establishment of a full operational
capability by not later than December 31, 2025.
(d) Transition Plan.--
(1) In general.--Not later than six months after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the Secretary
of Defense shall transmit to the appropriate committees of
Congress the Transition Plan developed pursuant to subsection
(c)(1).
(2) Elements.--The Transition Plan shall include the
following elements:
(A) A definition of an initial operational
capability and a full operational capability for a
civil space situational awareness capability.
(B) A system architecture, including requirements
for an initial operational capability, and a full
operational capability, including relating to the
following:
(i) Identification of the Federal
Government and non-government data,
observations, and analytical tools needed for
such initial operational capability and full
operational capability, and a description of
how such data, observations, and analytical
tools are to be obtained.
(ii) Identification of the space
situational awareness services and information
to be transitioned from the Department of
Defense and any additional services and
information that may be provided in accordance
with section 203(1) under an initial
operational capability and a full operational
capability.
(iii) Identification of criteria and
methods for verifying and validating non-
Federal Government space situational awareness
services and information, including associated
data, provided by space operators.
(iv) Identification of risk assessment and
mitigation support services and information
that may be provided.
(v) Identification of options for an
information platform or mechanism to enable
innovative research, development, testing, and
experimentation opportunities for commercial,
academic, or other entities to support and
improve space situational awareness services
and information, as practicable.
(C) Performance measures for the level of accuracy
needed for the space situational awareness services and
information to be identified and provided in accordance
with subparagraph (B)(ii).
(D) A description of the milestones and timelines
for demonstrating an initial operational capability and
establishing a full operational capability by not later
than the respective dates specified in subsection
(c)(3).
(E) An estimate of the workforce, training,
infrastructure, including ground-based, space-based,
and in-situ infrastructure, and annual budgetary
resources necessary to carry out a civil space
situational awareness capability for the next five
years.
(e) Consideration.--In developing the Transition Plan required
under paragraph (1) of subsection (c), the Interagency Transition Team
shall take into consideration any agency agreements under paragraph (2)
of such subsection.
(f) Biannual Reporting.--The Team Chair and Team Vice Chair shall
report biannually to the appropriate committees of Congress on the
progress of the transition under this section.
(g) Briefings.--The Team Chair and Team Vice Chair shall brief the
appropriate committees of Congress on the Transition Plan not later
than 14 days after transmitting the Transition Plan pursuant to
subsection (d)(1).
(h) Private Sector-Led Voluntary Consensus Standards and Best
Practices.--
(1) Development.--
(A) In general.--Not later than December 31, 2023,
the Interagency Transition Team shall review existing
private sector-led voluntary consensus standards and
best practices, promote and facilitate the development
of private sector-led voluntary consensus standards, as
needed, and make publicly available such voluntary
consensus standards and best practices for space
situational awareness.
(B) Consultation.--The Interagency Transition Team
shall promote and facilitate the development of the
private sector-led voluntary consensus standards and
best practices under subparagraph (A) in consultation
with private industry and standards organizations.
(2) Updates.--The Interagency Transition Team shall
biennially through 2028 update the private sector-led voluntary
consensus standards and best practices developed pursuant to
paragraph (1).
(3) Elements.--The private sector-led voluntary consensus
standards and best practices developed and updated in
accordance with this subsection should include the following
elements:
(A) Space situational awareness data
interoperability and data sharing protocols.
(B) Criteria and methods for verification and
validation of the space situational awareness services
and information described in subsection (d)(2)(B)(iii).
(C) Content and message format for conjunction data
messages.
(D) Emergency response protocols after a collision
event, including communication between Federal
Government agencies, space operators, and other
relevant entities.
(E) Any other matters the Interagency Transition
Team determines appropriate.
(i) Sunset.--The Interagency Transition Team shall terminate six
months after the date of the establishment pursuant to section 402(b)
of an organizational management structure for space situational
awareness services and information.
TITLE IV--AGENCY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF CIVIL
SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TRANSITION
SEC. 401. SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS SERVICES AND INFORMATION.
(a) In General.--In carrying out section 302(c)(3) (relating to the
demonstration of an initial operational capability and establishment of
a full operational capability), the Interagency Transition Team shall
collaborate with the Secretary.
(b) Demonstration.--The capabilities referred to in subsection (a)
shall--
(1) follow the Transition Plan under section 302, as
appropriate;
(2) make publicly available and free of direct user fees
space situational awareness services and information, including
conjunction data messages;
(3) include a digital space object identification and
characterization system to organize known characteristics
concerning space objects;
(4) communicate and make publicly available the private
sector-led voluntary consensus standards and best practices
under section 302(h);
(5) support openness and transparency, to the greatest
extent practicable, in space situational awareness services and
information, including conjunction data messages;
(6) carry out testing to--
(A) demonstrate the interoperability of data and
observations under section 302(d)(2)(B);
(B) verify and validate such data and observations,
as appropriate and practicable; and
(C) demonstrate the issuance of--
(i) conjunction data messages; and
(ii) conjunction assessments; and
(7) issue conjunction data messages.
SEC. 402. ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE FOR SPACE SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS SERVICES AND INFORMATION.
(a) Proposal.--Not later than six months after the establishment of
full operational capability, the Secretary, in consultation with the
Secretary of Defense and the Administrator, shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a proposal for--
(1) an organizational management structure within the
Department of Commerce for managing the activities under this
title;
(2) transitioning to such organizational management
structure the functions and responsibilities of the Interagency
Transition Team under section 302 after the termination of such
Team pursuant to subsection (i) of such section; and
(3) establishing milestones and performance measures for
such organizational management structure.
(b) Organizational Management.--Not later than six months after the
submission of the proposal described in subsection (a), the Secretary,
in accordance with such proposal, shall establish the organizational
management structure referred to in paragraph (1) of such subsection,
and shall appoint a Director of such organizational management
structure, who shall be a member of the Senior Executive Service. The
Director shall establish a schedule and budgetary requirements for such
organizational management structure.
TITLE V--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
SEC. 501. INFORMING AND IMPROVING SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.
(a) In General.--The Administrator, in coordination with the heads
of other relevant Federal agencies, shall--
(1) carry out United States Government civil research and
development to inform and improve space situational awareness;
and
(2) support the transition into the full operational
capability of such research and development, as practicable.
(b) Program Establishment.--To carry out subsection (a), the
Administrator, as necessary, shall establish research and development
programs to address areas of relevant basic and applied research and
development, including research and development that will support,
enable, and facilitate the transition under section 302. Areas of
research and development may include the following:
(1) Analytics.
(2) Space object identification.
(3) Modeling, analysis, and predictions.
(4) Space environmental conditions and impacts.
(5) Risk assessment.
(6) Post-mission disposal.
(7) Orbital debris mitigation, including research and
development on active debris removal.
(8) Any other areas the Administrator determines
appropriate, including areas to be prioritized in accordance
with the research strategy under section 502.
(c) Consideration.--The Administrator shall use competitively
selected grants, contracts, and agreements, as appropriate and
practicable, in addition to other competitive research and development
arrangements, in carrying out this section.
SEC. 502. RESEARCH STRATEGY.
(a) Strategy.--Not later than three months after the transmittal of
the Transition Plan pursuant to section 302(d), the Administrator shall
enter into an arrangement with the National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine to develop a research strategy to inform and
improve space situational awareness. Such strategy shall provide
prioritized recommendations on research and the transition of research
into operations and practice, and shall include measures to monitor
progress on such recommendations, as well as any other appropriate
recommendations.
(b) Transmittal.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a copy of the
research strategy under subsection (a) and a plan for implementing any
recommendations included in such strategy.
TITLE VI--OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
SEC. 601. CYBERSECURITY PLAN.
(a) In General.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the Director
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator, and the
heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall develop a cybersecurity
plan for reducing cybersecurity-related threats to the Department of
Commerce's provision of space situational awareness services and
information.
(b) Inclusion.--In developing the cybersecurity plan under
subsection (a), the Secretary should--
(1) identify cybersecurity risks to the provision of space
situational awareness services and information, and proposed
actions to prevent and mitigate such risks;
(2) identify supply chain risks and proposed actions to
prevent and mitigate such risks;
(3) consider any other issues the Secretary determines
appropriate to ensure the cybersecurity of a civil space
situational awareness capability;
(4) seek input from stakeholders, including other relevant
Federal Government agencies and private industry; and
(5) include a classified appendix, if necessary.
(c) Transmittal and Briefing.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a copy of the cybersecurity plan
under subsection (a) and, not later than 21 days after such
transmittal, provide to such committees an unclassified briefing on
such plan.
SEC. 602. STUDY ON INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN SPACE SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS.
(a) Study.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator
and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall carry out a
study on international cooperation in space situational awareness. Such
study shall--
(1) examine the extent to which the United States is
involved in and leading international cooperation in space
situational awareness;
(2) consider how other countries are approaching space
situational awareness, including the provision of space
situational awareness services and information;
(3) identify the formal and informal agreements that are in
place to support international cooperation in space situational
awareness;
(4) identify how United States international relations in
space situational awareness can be strengthened and cooperation
improved; and
(5) identify the barriers, including technical and policy
issues, to improving such cooperation and what steps can be
taken to overcome such barriers.
(b) Transmittal.--Not later than 270 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation of the Senate a copy of the study described in
subsection (a), together with a Plan for implementing any recommended
actions contained in such study and for coordinating with international
partners and entities on standards and sharing of space situational
awareness services and information, including associated data.
SEC. 603. REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL DATA SHARING AGREEMENTS.
Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate
committees of Congress a report on the status and plans for
international data sharing agreements relating to the transition of
certain space situational services and information in accordance with
this Act.
TITLE VII--GAO REVIEW
SEC. 701. GAO REVIEW.
Not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a review of the
status, performance, and progress of activities carried out under
titles III and IV.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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