Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Oklahoma) has called on lawmakers to provide funding support to military space programs and the Federal Aviation Administration’s office of commercial space transportation, Space News reported Thursday.
Phillip Swarts writes Bridenstine, one of the potential candidates for the NASA administrator post, said at a House Appropriations Committee’s defense appropriations subpanel hearing Thursday that the Air Force should be given approximately $30 million in funds to support responsive launch demonstrations.
Other military space initiatives that he wants Congress to support include the Defense Department’s Space Test Program, Protected Tactical Service for secure communications and the Air Force’s Enterprise Ground Services program for satellite control.
Bridenstine also urged his fellow legislators during his appearance before the transportation subcommittee to provide adequate funding for FAA’s AST office in support of upcoming space launches and give the office a budget increase in 2018.
“I’m requesting that the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation… be funded to the tune of $23 million,†he added, according to the report.
