Senate hearing comes as commercial space industry continues to experience record growth
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema chaired a Space and Science Subcommittee hearing to gather insight from commercial space industry leaders on the innovations, challenges, and opportunities they’re facing, focusing on how the federal government can work with industry to promote safety and global competitiveness.
“As Arizona and America’s commercial space industry continues to thrive – fueling strong careers, generating economic growth, and advancing space exploration – I’m focused on ensuring the highest levels of safety, innovation, and global competitiveness,” said Sinema, Chair of the Space and Science Subcommittee.
Human activities in space include scientific research, satellite deployment, operations on the International Space Station, in-space servicing, and space tourism. The Sinema-led hearing examined how a thriving commercial space industry, in partnership with the federal government, could bolster national security, the economy, and America’s global leadership in space.
During the hearing, Sinema highlighted how Arizona’s outsized space leadership will grow as the commercial space industry grows. Already, commercial space has invested heavily in Arizona – with Blue Origin opening a new Phoenix office and partnering with Arizona State University, Virgin Galactic breaking ground last year on a two-building facility in Mesa, and companies like Boeing and Northrop Grumman expanding existing facilities.
The Senator questioned witnesses – representatives from SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, National Aerospace Solutions, and CS Consulting – about safety regulations for in-space operations, the responsibilities of government agencies overseeing commercial human space activities, and more. Sinema intends to use the insight she gathered from experts to craft commonsense, bipartisan policies that ensure the highest levels of safety, fuel commercial investments to Arizona, and launch America into the next chapter of space innovation and exploration.
Click HERE to watch the full hearing.