Senate members led by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, have introduced the Situational Awareness of Flying Elements in Orbit, or SAFE Orbit, Act, which would require the federal government to advance the country’s commercial space capabilities.
The legislation would direct the Department of Commerce’s Office of Space Commerce to collect and share unclassified data, analytics, information and services on space activities and space traffic coordination in low Earth orbit, Cornyn said in a Wednesday press release.
Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., are listed as co-authors of the SAFE Orbit Act.
Preventing Accidental Collisions in LEO
According to Cornyn, commercial space objects in LEO would lead to fresh scientific discoveries and technological innovation provided researchers can conduct space traffic coordination safely. “The SAFE Orbit Act would prevent dangerous and costly accidental collisions in low-Earth orbit and improve access to data collection and analysis to help propel the United States into the next phase of space exploration,” the lawmaker explained.
If enacted into law, the measure would authorize the OSC to conduct space situational awareness and space traffic coordination activities, which are critical to ensuring safe and sustainable access to LEO. Under the SAFE Orbit Act, OSC would also facilitate the adoption of industry data standards for stakeholders and work with U.S. and foreign government operators to promote participation in data-sharing on orbiting space assets.
The legislation was originally filed in January 2024, with similar bilateral support from Democratic and Republican senators.
