I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5431 
To promote space safety and provide for policy, planning, and agency roles 
and responsibilities for the transition to a civil space situational aware-
ness capability of certain space situational awareness activities, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 
Mr. BEYER (for himself, Mr. NORCROSS, and Ms. LOFGREN) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned 
A BILL 
To promote space safety and provide for policy, planning, 
and agency roles and responsibilities for the transition 
to a civil space situational awareness capability of certain 
space situational awareness activities, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Space Safety and Situational Awareness Transition Act 
of 2023’’ or the ‘‘Space SSA Transition Act of 2023’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 
Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations for fiscal years 2024 through 2025. 
TITLE II—POLICY 
Sec. 201. Findings. 
Sec. 202. Sense of Congress on United States Government responsibility. 
Sec. 203. United States policy. 
TITLE III—TRANSITION TO CIVIL SPACE SITUATIONAL 
AWARENESS CAPABILITY 
Sec. 301. Sense of Congress on need for transition. 
Sec. 302. Interagency Transition Plan. 
TITLE IV—AGENCY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR IMPLE-
MENTATION OF CIVIL SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TRAN-
SITION 
Sec. 401. Space situational awareness services and information. 
Sec. 402. Organizational management structure for space situational awareness 
services and information. 
TITLE V—RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
Sec. 501. Informing and improving space situational awareness. 
Sec. 502. Research strategy. 
TITLE VI—OTHER CONSIDERATIONS 
Sec. 601. Cybersecurity plan. 
Sec. 602. Study on international cooperation in space situational awareness. 
Sec. 603. Report on international data sharing agreements. 
Sec. 604. Study on space traffic coordination. 
TITLE VII—GAO REVIEW 
Sec. 701. GAO review. 
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ponents or pieces thereof, orbiting the Earth or 
passing into or through outer space. 
(9) SPACE OPERATOR.—The term ‘‘space oper-
ator’’ means the person or entity that has responsi-
bility for commanding operations of a space object 
in outer space. 
(10) SPACE
SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS.—The 
term ‘‘space situational awareness’’ means the 
knowledge and characterization of space objects and 
their operational environment to facilitate decisions 
that support safe, stable, and sustainable space ac-
tivities. 
(11) SPACE
TRAFFIC
COORDINATION.—The 
term ‘‘space traffic coordination’’ means the plan-
ning, assessment, and on-orbit coordination of activi-
ties to enhance the safety, stability, and sustain-
ability of operations in the space environment. 
TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF 
APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FIS-
CAL YEARS 2024 THROUGH 2025. 
To carry out this Act, there is authorized to be appro-
priated— 
(1) to the Department of Commerce— 
(A) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and 
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(B) $95,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; and 
(2) to NASA— 
(A) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and 
(B) $53,000,000 for fiscal year 2025. 
TITLE II—POLICY 
SEC. 201. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Commercial activity in space is accelerating 
to meet the global demand for a growing commercial 
space market. 
(2) Space is becoming more congested, particu-
larly in some orbital regimes, with the number of ac-
tive satellites increasing significantly over the past 
10 years and continuing to grow. 
(3) Orbital debris ranging from sub-millimeter- 
sized debris to large defunct rocket bodies and inop-
erable spacecraft threatens the safety of orbital op-
erations. 
(4) Space situational awareness provides the 
foundation for understanding— 
(A) where objects, both active and inactive, 
are located and for predicting where satellites 
or debris will be in the future; and 
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(B) the distribution of orbital debris and 
the risk they pose to operational satellites and 
crewed spacecraft. 
(5) United States leadership in coordinating 
international efforts on space situational awareness 
is essential for the safety and sustainability of the 
space environment, and for the safety of human ac-
tivities in outer space. 
(6) Conducting safe and responsible space oper-
ations will have a major impact on the sustainability 
of space activities, and in turn on the prosperity and 
national security of the United States. 
(7) To date, the Secretary of Defense, acting 
through the Commander, United States Space Com-
mand, has been providing certain space situational 
awareness services and information to Federal Gov-
ernment, commercial and international space opera-
tors, and the international community, including 
warnings of potential conjunctions. 
(8) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
of Commerce have begun collaborating to begin 
transitioning some capabilities from the Department 
of Defense to the Department of Commerce. 
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SEC. 202. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON UNITED STATES GOV-
ERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY. 
It is the sense of Congress that the United States 
Government, in coordination with other countries and the 
private sector, has a responsibility to be a good steward 
of the space environment. It is the further sense of Con-
gress that the United States Government should— 
(1) lead in practices and policies to maintain a 
safe, sustainable space environment for civil, na-
tional security, and commercial use; 
(2) provide validated space situational aware-
ness services and information as public goods for the 
purposes of promoting on-orbit operational safety; 
(3) develop a coordinated and integrated ap-
proach to improving and delivering space situational 
awareness services and information; 
(4) leverage, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, commercial innovation and capabilities rel-
evant to space situational awareness; 
(5) lead collaborations with international and 
nongovernmental entities, including satellite opera-
tors and space situational awareness services and in-
formation providers, as appropriate, on space situa-
tional awareness and on best practices regarding 
space traffic coordination that— 
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(A) support the growth of commerce in 
space and foster a competitive United States 
commercial space industry; and 
(B) promote innovation in technology and 
operations while improving safety; 
(6) lead the international community in collabo-
rations on practices and approaches that advance a 
sustainable and accessible space environment; and 
(7) transition to the Department of Commerce 
certain space situational awareness services and in-
formation, including public conjunction notifications, 
from the Department of Defense. 
SEC. 203. UNITED STATES POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States to— 
(1) make publicly and continually available, free 
of direct user fees, validated space situational aware-
ness services and information, including conjunction 
notifications and conjunction data messages; 
(2) continue to enhance and improve the accu-
racy and precision of the services and information 
referred to in paragraph (1); 
(3) make available to governmental and non-
governmental space operators space safety and sus-
tainability tools, voluntary consensus standards, and 
risk mitigation information and practices; 
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(4) support interdisciplinary research and devel-
opment to promote space safety and improve space 
situational awareness; 
(5) support mechanisms for transitioning into 
operational activities the research and development 
described in paragraph (4); 
(6) support the use, where validated and prac-
ticable, of commercial technologies, data, systems, 
and services that can supplement and enhance 
United States Government-provided space situa-
tional awareness services and information; 
(7) ensure the Federal Government remains the 
United States authoritative source for information 
and services relating to space situational awareness 
for public and private space endeavors; 
(8) promote and facilitate the development and 
encourage the adoption of voluntary consensus 
standards and best practices for space situational 
awareness; and 
(9) lead international collaborations to the 
widest extent possible on a framework for inter-
nationally aligned space situational awareness and 
best practices for space traffic coordination. 
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TITLE III—TRANSITION TO CIVIL 
SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARE-
NESS CAPABILITY 
SEC. 301. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON NEED FOR TRANSITION. 
It is the sense of Congress that the DoD continues 
to make essential contributions to the safety of the space 
environment by providing space operators with services 
and information for managing the safe operations of 
United States Government, commercial, and non-United 
States space operations, in accordance with section 2274 
of title 10, United States Code. It is the further sense 
of Congress that the growing number of space objects has 
created an increasing demand for improved accuracy and 
precision of space situational awareness services and infor-
mation for space operators, which requires personnel and 
resources that are not related to the DoD’s primary mis-
sion. Therefore, it is the sense of Congress that the Presi-
dent should provide all necessary support to plan for an 
effective transition to the Department of Commerce from 
the Department of Defense of certain space situational 
awareness services and information. 
SEC. 302. INTERAGENCY TRANSITION PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the 
Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Adminis-
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trator and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, 
shall establish an Interagency Transition Working Group 
(in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Working Group’’) and 
begin developing an Interagency Transition Plan for Space 
Situational Awareness (in this Act referred to as the 
‘‘Interagency Transition Plan’’). The Working Group shall 
carry out the Interagency Transition Plan. The Inter-
agency Transition Plan shall direct the planning, assess-
ment, and transition of certain activities carried out under 
section 2274 of title 10, United States Code, as appro-
priate, from the existing DoD-based space situational 
awareness operations to a civil space situational awareness 
capability under the Secretary. 
(b) WORKING GROUP.—The Working Group shall— 
(1) be led by— 
(A) a Senior Executive Service-level official 
(in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Working Group 
Chair’’) appointed by the Secretary; and 
(B) a Senior Executive Service or Flag Of-
ficer level official (in this Act referred to as the 
‘‘Working Group Vice Chair’’) appointed by the 
Secretary of Defense; and 
(2) include— 
(A) a team of Federal Government employ-
ees from relevant Federal agencies, including 
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the DoD and NASA, with experience and exper-
tise in space situational awareness activities, in-
cluding tracking, data processing, conjunction 
assessment, and space operations; 
(B) the Director of the Office of Space 
Commerce; 
(C) the Deputy Commander of United 
States Space Command; and 
(D) the Commander of United States 
Space Force Space Operations Command. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Working Group shall— 
(A) carry out the Interagency Transition 
Plan for the planning, assessment, and phased 
transition of space situational awareness serv-
ices and information to a civil space situational 
awareness capability under the Secretary; 
(B) in consultation with the National Insti-
tute of Standards and Technology, standards 
organizations, and private industry, promote 
and facilitate the development and encourage 
the adoption of voluntary consensus standards 
and best practices for space situational aware-
ness; 
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(C) establish timelines for the phased tran-
sition of a civil space situational awareness ca-
pability; and 
(D) carry out an assessment of— 
(i) Federal Government and non-gov-
ernment space situational awareness capa-
bilities; and 
(ii) Federal Government and non-gov-
ernment best practices regarding risk miti-
gation and collision avoidance. 
(2) AGENCY AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary and 
the Secretary of Defense may form partnerships or 
agreements with the heads of other relevant agencies 
in furtherance of this Act. 
(3) MILESTONE.—The Interagency Transition 
Plan shall include a deadline for public deployment 
of space situational awareness services and informa-
tion by not later than December 31, 2026. 
(d) INTERAGENCY TRANSITION PLAN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than six months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary and the Secretary of Defense shall transmit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress the Inter-
agency Transition Plan, and shall make the Inter-
agency Transition Plan publicly available, with data 
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protections, as necessary, not later than 30 days 
after such transmittal. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The Interagency Transition 
Plan shall include the following elements: 
(A) A listing and detailed descriptions of 
phases or milestones, including associated esti-
mated timelines, regarding the transition to the 
Department of Commerce of capabilities relat-
ing to space situational awareness, including a 
description of the space situational awareness 
services and information that will be provided 
in accordance with subsection (c)(3). 
(B) A system architecture, including the 
following: 
(i) Identification of the Federal Gov-
ernment and nongovernment data, observa-
tions, and analytical tools needed for each 
phase of transition, and a description of 
how such data, observations, and analytical 
tools are to be obtained. 
(ii) Identification of the space situa-
tional awareness services and information 
to be transitioned from the Department of 
Defense to the Department of Commerce. 
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ing, and experimentation opportunities for 
commercial, academic, or other entities to 
support and improve space situational 
awareness services and information, as 
practicable. 
(C) Performance measures for the level of 
accuracy needed for the space situational 
awareness services and information to be identi-
fied and provided in accordance with subpara-
graph (B)(ii). 
(D) A description of the elements in the 
Interagency Transition Plan anticipated to be 
provided by commercial or other non-Federal 
Government entities. 
(E) An estimate of the workforce, training, 
infrastructure, including ground-based, space- 
based, and in-situ infrastructure, and annual 
budgetary resources necessary to carry out a 
civil space situational awareness capability for 
the next five years. 
(e) CONSIDERATION.—In carrying out the Inter-
agency Transition Plan, the Interagency Transition Work-
ing Group shall— 
(1) take into consideration any agency agree-
ments under subsection (c)(2) and any existing con-
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tracts or agreements related to space situational 
awareness services and information; and 
(2) accept input, as appropriate, from industry, 
academia, and nonprofit organizations. 
(f) BIANNUAL REPORTING.—The Working Group 
Chair and Working Group Vice Chair shall report bian-
nually to the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
progress of the transition under this section. 
(g) BRIEFINGS.—The Working Group Chair and 
Working Group Vice Chair shall brief the appropriate 
committees of Congress on the Interagency Transition 
Plan not later than 14 days after transmitting the Inter-
agency Transition Plan pursuant to subsection (d)(1). 
(h) BIENNIAL UPDATES.—The Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator, 
shall update the Interagency Transition Plan, as nec-
essary, but not less frequently than biennially, and trans-
mit such updated Interagency Transition Plan to the ap-
propriate committees of Congress. 
(i) VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS AND BEST 
PRACTICES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than six months 
after the submission of the plan described in sub-
section (d), the Working Group shall— 
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(A) review existing voluntary consensus 
standards and best practices; 
(B) in consultation with private industry 
and standards organizations, promote and fa-
cilitate the development of voluntary consensus 
standards and best practices, as needed; and 
(C) make publicly available such voluntary 
consensus standards and best practices for 
space situational awareness. 
(2) UPDATES.—The Working Group shall bien-
nially through 2028 update the voluntary consensus 
standards and best practices developed pursuant to 
paragraph (1). 
(3) 
ELEMENTS.—The 
voluntary 
consensus 
standards and best practices developed and updated 
in accordance with this subsection should include, at 
a minimum, the following elements: 
(A) Space situational awareness data inter-
operability standards and data sharing proto-
cols. 
(B) Criteria and methods for verification 
and validation of the space situational aware-
ness services and information described in sub-
section (d)(2)(B)(iii). 
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(C) Content and message format for con-
junction data messages. 
(D) Emergency response protocols after a 
collision event, including communication be-
tween Federal Government agencies, space op-
erators, and other relevant entities. 
(E) Any other matters the Working Group 
determines appropriate. 
(j) SUNSET.—The Working Group shall terminate six 
months after the date of the public deployment pursuant 
to section 302(c)(3) of space situational awareness serv-
ices and information. 
TITLE IV—AGENCY ROLES AND 
RESPONSIBILITIES 
FOR 
IM-
PLEMENTATION 
OF 
CIVIL 
SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARE-
NESS TRANSITION 
SEC. 401. SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS SERVICES AND 
INFORMATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out section 302(c)(3) 
(relating to the deadline for deployment of space situa-
tional awareness services and information), the Working 
Group shall collaborate with the Secretary. 
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(b) DEMONSTRATION.—The space situational aware-
ness services and information referred to in subsection (a) 
shall— 
(1) follow the Interagency Transition Plan 
under section 302, as appropriate; 
(2) make publicly available and free of direct 
user fees space situational awareness safety services 
and information, including services and information 
needed for maintaining spaceflight safety and space 
sustainability; 
(3) include a digital space object identification 
and characterization system to organize known char-
acteristics concerning space objects; 
(4) communicate and make publicly available 
the voluntary consensus standards and best practices 
under section 302(i); 
(5) support openness and transparency, to the 
greatest extent practicable, in space situational 
awareness services, information, and coordination; 
(6) carry out testing to— 
(A) demonstrate the interoperability of 
data 
and 
observations 
under 
section 
302(d)(2)(B); 
(B) verify and validate such data and ob-
servations, as appropriate and practicable; and 
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(C) demonstrate the issuance of— 
(i) conjunction data messages; and 
(ii) conjunction assessments; and 
(7) issue conjunction data messages. 
(c) INDEMNIFICATION.—The United States, any 
agency or instrumentality thereof, and any individual, 
firm, corporation, or other person acting for the United 
States, shall be immune from any suit in any court for 
any cause of action arising from the provision or receipt 
of space situational-awareness data, information, or serv-
ices, whether or not provided in accordance with this sec-
tion, or any related action or omission. When data, infor-
mation, or services provided in good faith by entities other 
than the United States Government are acquired by the 
United States Government and provided by the United 
States Government as part of space situational awareness 
services or information, such entities shall be immune 
from suit in any court for any cause of action arising from 
reliance on such data, information, or services. 
SEC. 402. ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE 
FOR SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS SERV-
ICES AND INFORMATION. 
(a) PLAN.—Not later than six months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator, shall 
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submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a plan 
for— 
(1) an organizational management structure 
within the Department of Commerce for managing 
the activities under this title; 
(2) transitioning to such organizational man-
agement structure the functions and responsibilities 
of the Working Group after the termination of such 
Working Group; and 
(3) establishing milestones and performance 
measures for such organizational management struc-
ture. 
(b) ORGANIZATIONAL
MANAGEMENT.—Not later 
than six months after the submission of the plan described 
in subsection (a), the Secretary, in accordance with such 
proposal, shall implement the organizational management 
structure referred to in paragraph (1) of such subsection, 
and shall appoint a Director of such organizational man-
agement structure, who shall be a member of the Senior 
Executive Service. The Director shall establish a schedule 
and budgetary requirements for such organizational man-
agement structure. 
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TITLE V—RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT 
SEC. 501. INFORMING AND IMPROVING SPACE SITUA-
TIONAL AWARENESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, in coordina-
tion with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, 
shall— 
(1) carry out United States Government civil 
research and development to inform and improve 
space situational awareness; and 
(2) support the transition into the civil space 
situational awareness capability of such research and 
development, as practicable. 
(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—To implement subsection 
(a), the Administrator, as necessary, shall carry out re-
search and development that will support, enable, and fa-
cilitate the transition under section 302. Areas of research 
and development may include the following: 
(1) Analytics. 
(2) Space object identification. 
(3) Modeling, analysis, and predictions. 
(4) Space environmental conditions and im-
pacts. 
(5) Risk assessment. 
(6) Post-mission disposal. 
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(7) Orbital debris mitigation, including research 
and development on active debris removal. 
(8) Any other areas the Administrator deter-
mines appropriate, including areas to be prioritized 
in accordance with the research strategy under sec-
tion 502. 
(c) CONSIDERATION.—The Administrator shall use 
competitively selected grants, contracts, and agreements, 
as appropriate and practicable, in addition to other com-
petitive research and development arrangements, in car-
rying out this section. 
SEC. 502. RESEARCH STRATEGY. 
(a) STRATEGY.—Not later than three months after 
the transmittal of the Interagency Transition Plan pursu-
ant to section 302(d), the Administrator shall enter into 
an arrangement with the National Academies of Sciences, 
Engineering, and Medicine to develop a research strategy 
to inform and improve space situational awareness. Such 
strategy shall provide prioritized recommendations on re-
search and the transition of research into operations and 
practice, and shall include measures to monitor progress 
on such recommendations, as well as any other appro-
priate recommendations. 
(b) TRANSMITTAL.—Not later than 27 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
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shall transmit to the appropriate committees of Congress 
a copy of the research strategy under subsection (a) and 
a plan for implementing any recommendations included in 
such strategy. 
TITLE VI—OTHER 
CONSIDERATIONS 
SEC. 601. CYBERSECURITY PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in collaboration 
with the Director of the National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, and in consultation with the Secretary 
of Defense, the Administrator, and the heads of other rel-
evant Federal agencies, shall develop a cybersecurity plan 
for reducing cybersecurity-related threats to the Depart-
ment of Commerce’s provision of space situational aware-
ness services and information. 
(b) INCLUSION.—In developing the cybersecurity plan 
under subsection (a), the Secretary should— 
(1) identify cybersecurity risks to the provision 
of space situational awareness services and informa-
tion, and proposed actions to prevent and mitigate 
such risks; 
(2) identify supply chain risks and proposed ac-
tions to prevent and mitigate such risks; 
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(3) consider any other issues the Secretary de-
termines appropriate to ensure the cybersecurity of 
a civil space situational awareness capability; 
(4) seek input from stakeholders, including 
other relevant Federal Government agencies. private 
industry, academia, and other relevant entities; and 
(5) include a classified appendix, if necessary. 
(c) TRANSMITTAL AND BRIEFING.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall transmit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a copy of the cybersecurity plan under sub-
section (a) and, not later than 21 days after such trans-
mittal, provide to such committees an unclassified briefing 
on such plan. 
SEC. 602. STUDY ON INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN 
SPACE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary, in consultation with the 
Administrator and the heads of other relevant Federal 
agencies, shall carry out a study on international coopera-
tion in space situational awareness. Such study shall— 
(1) examine the extent to which the United 
States is involved in and leading international co-
operation in space situational awareness; 
(2) consider how other countries are approach-
ing space situational awareness, including the provi-
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sion of space situational awareness services and in-
formation; 
(3) identify the formal and informal agreements 
that are in place to support international coopera-
tion in space situational awareness; 
(4) identify how United States international re-
lations in space situational awareness can be 
strengthened and cooperation improved; and 
(5) identify the barriers, including technical and 
policy issues, to improving such cooperation and 
what steps can be taken to overcome such barriers. 
(b) TRANSMITTAL.—Not later than 270 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
transmit to the appropriate committees of Congress a copy 
of the study described in subsection (a), together with a 
Plan for implementing any recommended actions con-
tained in such study and for coordinating with inter-
national partners and entities on standards and sharing 
of space situational awareness services and information, 
including associated data. 
SEC. 603. REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL DATA SHARING 
AGREEMENTS. 
Not later than 270 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 
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