The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has passed a bipartisan bill that aims to support U.S. space leadership.
The panel voted to pass the Space Frontier Act which would refine regulations on commercial space launch; support the country’s leadership in space exploration; and extend the use of the International Space Station through 2030, Sen. Ted Cruz’s office said Wednesday.
Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Bill Nelson D-Fla.; and Ed Markey, D-Mass. introduced the bill, building on the similar U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act.
The commercial space industry, despite exhibiting continuous growth, has not reached its full potential due to outdated policies that hinder innovation and investment, Cruz remarked. He said these prohibitions cause the U.S. space industry to seek clients abroad.
“The Space Frontier Act seeks to solve these issues by streamlining launch and re-entry regulations for reusable and expendable launch systems,” Cruz added.