Body Will Be Chaired By Vice President Mike Pence

President Donald Trump has signed an Executive Order reviving the National Space Council, and placed Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the panel.

The council was first established in 1958, and advised Presidents until 1973. It next was empaneled in 1989, and lasted until 1993. President Obama considered bringing it back for a third time in 2008, but never acted on the idea, according to a report from Engadget.

In his Executive Order, President Trump said that the Council was tasked with advising and assisting the President regarding national space policy and strategy. The Council was never formally disestablished, but it effectively ceased operation in 1993. This order revives the Council and provides additional details regarding its duties and responsibilities.

the Council is directed to:

review United States Government space policy, including long-range goals, and develop a strategy for national space activities;
develop recommendations for the President on space policy and space-related issues;
monitor and coordinate implementation of the objectives of the President's national space policy and strategy;
foster close coordination, cooperation, and technology and information exchange among the civil, national security, and commercial space sectors;
advise on participation in international space activities conducted by the United States Government; and
facilitate the resolution of differences concerning major space and space-related policy matters.

The council is directed to meet at least once per year. It will consist of Pence as Chair, as well as:

• The Secretary of State;
• The Secretary of Defense;
• The Secretary of Commerce;
• The Secretary of Transportation;
• The Secretary of Homeland Security;
• The Director of National Intelligence;
• The Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
• The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs;
• The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
• The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy;
• The Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism;
• The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and
• The heads of other executive departments and agencies (agencies) and other senior officials within the Executive Office of the President, as determined by the Chair.

The order states that within one year of the date of this order, and annually thereafter, the Council shall submit a report to the President setting forth its assessment of, and recommendations for, the space policy and strategy of the United States Government.

“I am pleased that President Trump has signed an executive order reestablishing the National Space Council. The council existed previously from 1989-1993, and a version of it also existed as the National Aeronautics and Space Council from 1958-1973," said acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot in a prepared statement posted on the NASA website. "As such, the council has guided NASA from our earliest days and can help us achieve the many ambitious milestones we are striving for today.

“This high-level group advises the president and comprises the leaders of government agencies with a stake in space, including the NASA administrator, the Secretaries of State, Commerce, Defense, and others, and will be chaired by Vice President Mike Pence. It will help ensure that all aspects of the nation’s space power -- national security, commerce, international relations, exploration, and science, are coordinated and aligned to best serve the American people.  A Users’ Advisory Group also will be convened so that the interests of industries and other non-federal entities are represented.

“The establishment of the council is another demonstration of the Trump Administration’s deep interest in our work, and a testament to the importance of space exploration to our economy, our nation, and the planet as a whole.”

(White House image)

FMI: Executive Order