Policy & Governance

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Science, Space, and Technology Committee approved an amendment to the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026 declaring that United States policy requires the fullest possible commercial use of space and a growing and enduring human presence beyond Earth.  The amendment was offered by Space Subcommittee Chair Mike Haridopolos (R-Fl-8) and co-sponsored by Science Ranking Member George Whitesides, along with Reps Nick Begich, Mike Kennedy, Mat

This edition of the SSP Bulletin highlights major industry awards, wireless power milestones, new funding announcements, and continued commercial momentum in space-based solar power.

As human presence in orbit reaches 25 years, the International Space Station stands as proof that large-scale partnerships and complex operations can succeed in space. The next phase must move beyond demonstration toward a productive low Earth orbit economy focused on tangible products, services, and sustained commercial demand.

A recent Senate hearing framed lunar competition too narrowly as a race to reach the Moon, rather than a strategic contest to build lasting infrastructure and economic value there. The Space Frontier Foundation argues that true leadership will come not from arrival alone, but from creating the systems, partnerships, and long-term vision needed for sustained activity on the lunar surface.

A Space Frontier Foundation Lunch & Learn at the U.S. Capitol examined how commercial partnerships and lunar policy can support long-term U.S. leadership and sustainable development on the Moon.

Public enthusiasm for space exploration is shaped not only by inspiration but also by powerful forces that dampen interest. This analysis outlines seven categories of “demotivators”—from competing societal priorities and ideological opposition to structural barriers and existential dread—that limit engagement with humanity’s expansion into space.

The Space Frontier Foundation welcomed the proposed cancellation of NASA’s Space Launch System after Artemis III, praising the shift toward commercial partnerships for lunar and Mars exploration. The organization argues that competitive, market-driven launch systems will create more sustainable and affordable pathways for human expansion beyond Earth.

As Congress debates whether the United States can lead in Low Earth Orbit, the Moon, and Mars simultaneously, the Space Frontier Foundation argues the question is framed incorrectly. Leadership in space will require mobilizing the full power of the American economy—using policy, finance, law, diplomacy, and procurement to enable a competitive private sector to build humanity’s next frontier.

People support space exploration for many different reasons. This framework identifies nine archetypes—from scientific explorers and economic innovators to environmental stewards and human settlement advocates—to better understand the diverse motivations driving support for humanity’s future beyond Earth.

Why do people support space exploration? A classic framework from Space Frontier Foundation co-founder Rick Tumlinson identifies three enduring philosophies—Von Braunians, Saganites, and O’Neillians—representing national prestige, scientific discovery, and human settlement as the core motivations shaping today’s space debate.

In a letter entered into the Congressional Record, the Space Frontier Foundation outlines a strategy for American leadership in space. The organization argues that the United States must lead simultaneously in launch, Low Earth Orbit development, lunar industry, and Mars exploration through a competitive, private-sector-driven space economy.

Following a congressional hearing on the Artemis Program, the Space Frontier Foundation argued that NASA’s current approach cannot deliver reliable lunar access or compete effectively with China. The Foundation called for restructuring Artemis around commercial launch providers, emphasizing that a competitive free-enterprise model could enable sustainable missions to the Moon and accelerate progress toward Mars.

March Storm 2025 brings space advocates to Washington, D.C. to engage directly with lawmakers and advance policies that support commercial space development, orbital infrastructure, and the long-term expansion of humanity into space.

In this open letter, Space Frontier Foundation Executive Director Sean Mahoney reflects on the challenges facing the space advocacy community. He argues that advancing humanity’s future in space requires not only technical innovation but also strategic thinking, political awareness, and a stronger focus on solving real-world problems through space-driven solutions.

Despite rapid advances in launch capability and commercial space infrastructure, much of the world still views space as distant or irrelevant to everyday challenges. The Space Frontier Foundation argues that the next phase of space development depends on connecting space technologies to real-world problems across industries, expanding demand for space services while accelerating humanity’s path toward permanent settlement beyond Earth.