New legislation Would benefit SpaceX, Virgin Galactic
Congress is debating asteroid mining and the oversight of private area exploration.
November 16, 2015
a brand new legislation expected to cross presidential approval this week would give the personal spaceflight sector exemption from a variety of presidency oversight. H.R. 2262, which is receiving ultimate approval from the home of Representatives nowadays, would exempt personal house shuttle from federal law for the next eight years. The invoice would primarily advantage corporations like SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and Blue beginning that concern that close oversight with the aid of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or any other executive agency might critically sluggish innovation.
There’s a second merit in H.R. 2262 for private area exploration corporations. Alongside increasing the lifespan of the world house Station—which has come into a rough period due to U.S.-Russian tensions—into the 2020s, the legislation would also give industrial corporations the rights to resources they extract from asteroids and other area bodies. that is big news for firms like Planetary resources, which plans to mine for rare minerals on asteroids.
below the brand new invoice, the FAA would still have limited oversight to keep an eye on business house go back and forth similar to issuing rocket launch licenses. then again, H.R. 2262 would sharply restrict the FAA’s means to keep an eye on other areas of the private house exploration business. a few years in the past, fast company took a look at the attention-grabbing world of house legislation.
(15)