The rules of space are changing; the role of space is changing. In recent years, access to space has grown cheaper and easier. As a result, many new players with new objectives are joining the space game, including governments, businesses, and academic institutions. The question is, will America’s future in space be dictated by external events, or will it be shaped by a cohesive space policy that leverages the changing technical and economic landscape while responding to emerging threats?

In 2017, Aerospace expanded the Center for Space Policy and Strategy to help policymakers manage the opportunities and challenges inherent in a time of rapid change. The goal is to provide timely, independent, and well-informed thought leadership, policy, and strategy information to key decisionmakers. The center provides objective analysis and data to support policy development, built on Aerospace’s exceptional foundation of technical insight. As part of that effort, the center organizes and co-hosts conferences and briefings for policymakers and the space community to share ideas, discuss emerging trends, and stay ahead of future developments.

The center publishes policy papers that explain complex issues and delineate the full range of possible solutions, examining the implications of each. Recent subjects have included space traffic management, commercial remote sensing, spaceflight regulation, orbital debris, the National Space Council, and more. Sound policy is essential to safeguarding the nation’s interests in the increasingly contested space domain. Through the Center for Space Policy and Strategy, Aerospace is leveraging nearly six decades of experience to provide a trusted, nonpartisan perspective to guide the creation of effective and sustainable space policy and strategy.