Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, who chairs the House Science Committee, announced at a Secure World Foundation panel discussion that Congress is considering legislation to address issues on space traffic management, Space News reported Monday.Smith said the legislation will aim to oversee in-orbit objects and warn satellite operators of possible collisions.
Mike Mineiro, staff director of the committee’s space component, said later in the discussion that he is meeting with different stakeholders to talk about space traffic management issues that the bill would need to address.
The committee intends to pass a draft of the bill this year, as Smith will retire at the end of 2018, the report noted.
