White House Response to Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act
Letter from OSTP Director Holdren to Rep. Thune and Rep. Smith Re: U.S Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act, OSTP (PDF)
“The economic vitality of the American space industry is best served with a clear and predictable oversight process that ensures access to space and imposes minimal burdens on the industry. The Administration supports a narrowly tailored authorization process for newly contemplated commercial space activities, with only such conditions as are necessary for compliance with the United States’ international obligations, foreign policy and national security interests, and protection of United States Government uses of outer space. Through months of consultations among Federal departments and agencies and with the commercial space industry, this Office developed a legislative proposal for a “Mission Authorization” framework, which is appended to this report.”
Translation: “Hey! That’s MY apple pie!”
Sadly the military based tradition of NASA referring to all space activities as “missions” is being codified in this act. What is wrong with calling them what they really are, commercial activities? A new supermarket is not a mission, its merely a store. A new mine is not a mission, its just a mine.
I wonder if NASA officials tell their friends they are going on a mission to Walmart when they go shopping? or for their vacation this year they are taking their family on a “mission” to Six Flags? 🙂
The term mission may be OK for government space limited as it is to specific and “micro” planned programs and projects, but commercial activities tend to continue as long as there is a ROI, demonstrate flexibility and often change in terms of goals and objectives. Its a very different mindset.
Other than the inappropriate wording this looks reasonable on it, although it does give the FAA a great deal of leeway. But that is probably acceptable at this early stage of development. It would also solve the problem of oversight of having who has the authority to license and oversee Elon Musk’s Red Dragon flight to Mars.
The are called missions because they are all so different. Another store is another store. We have ‘projects’ in my business for similar reasons- they are different one from the next.