Agency to Host 7th Annual Commercial Space Transportation Conference

FAA Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation Patricia Grace Smith has announced the Seventh Annual FAA Commercial Space Transportation Conference on Feb. 10 and 11 at the  Fairmont Hotel in Washington DC.

This year’s event will focus on FAA efforts to help facilitate the first privately-launched manned space flight within the year. The conference also celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Commercial Space Transportation Office at the Department of Transportation (DOT).

On Tuesday, Feb. 10, Grace will provide opening remarks at 9 a.m. and DOT Undersecretary for Policy Jeff Shane will be the keynote speaker at 9:15 a.m. At 12 noon, the Department of Defense Director of Research and Engineering and former astronaut Ronald Sega will give the luncheon address. 

Rep. Tom Feeney, R-FL, will be the featured speaker at 2:30 p.m.  Feeney is a member of the House Committee on Science Subcommittee on Aeronautics and Space and his district encompasses the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, FL.

Panels throughout the first day will provide views from space transportation experts in the government and private sector who will focus on the history of commercial space transportation, new developments in propulsion, environmental streamlining in the industry, and system safety.

Day Two features remarks by Elon Musk, founder and chief executive officer of Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) at 8 a.m. The company is developing a low-cost expendable launch vehicle. Expert panelists on Feb. 11 will also focus on the emerging sub-orbital market, reusable launch vehicle operations and maintenance issues, as well as the future of commercial space transportation.

Prior to 1989, no commercial space transportation industry existed and the United States only launched commercial satellites on vehicles operated by the government. Various events in the 1980s led to development of the nation’s private space industry and by 2000 it accounted for more than $60 billion in economic activity. 

Established at the DOT in 1984, the Office of Commercial Space Transportation was given the responsibility for regulating all private launches and space vehicles in the United States. The office was moved to the FAA in 1996.

The United States, Russia and most recently China are the only nations to have successfully launched individuals into space and returned them to earth. 

All these projects have been entirely government-based operations.  All other commercial/privately launched space vehicles in existence are expendable non-manned vehicles that are capable of one-way trips to space.

FMI:  http://ast.faa.gov