Title: A resolution supporting international cooperation and continued United States leadership to maintain access to space and achieve advances in space technology.
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
This resolution supports improvements in space situational awareness and advances in technology and international cooperation.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 386 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 386

   Supporting international cooperation and continued United States 
 leadership to maintain access to space and achieve advances in space 
                              technology.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 30, 2019

     Mr. Udall (for himself and Mr. Kaine) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
                           and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Supporting international cooperation and continued United States 
 leadership to maintain access to space and achieve advances in space 
                              technology.

Whereas there are approximately 2,062 active satellites in Earth orbit, 24,000 
        objects tracked by the Air Force that are debris or inactive satellites, 
        and many more objects that are currently too small to track;
Whereas the United States has a leading role in the management of space traffic;
Whereas space is an increasingly important environment for economic growth due 
        to the development of small satellite technologies and the reduced cost 
        of space launch resulting from innovations by private entities;
Whereas, on a daily basis, multiple countries, businesses, and billions of 
        individuals rely on the information and communications capabilities 
        provided by satellites in space;
Whereas maintaining access to space is vital for the national security and 
        economic interests of the United States;
Whereas increased space traffic at different orbits presents a new challenge for 
        governments, private entities, researchers, and the Armed Forces;
Whereas the goal of the United States is to support development of space by 
        private entities, including the development of space tourism;
Whereas, in 2019, the United States commemorated the 50th anniversary of the 
        Apollo 11 moon landing;
Whereas the United States completed 6 crewed lunar landing missions, multiple 
        orbital missions, and numerous other robotic missions to the Moon and 
        each of the planets in the solar system and beyond;
Whereas the United States aims to return to the Moon by 2024 and subsequently 
        send the first crewed mission to Mars;
Whereas destructive anti-satellite tests threaten international access to space;
Whereas a collision or other preventable disaster in space would reduce access 
        to space and threaten future military, civil, and commercial missions in 
        space for all countries;
Whereas the United States and 108 other countries are parties to the Treaty on 
        Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use 
        of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, done at 
        Washington, London, and Moscow January 27, 1967 (18 UST 2410) (in this 
        preamble referred to as the ``Outer Space Treaty'');
Whereas access to space and the management of space traffic are international 
        problems that require creative technical and legal solutions;
Whereas Article I of the Outer Space Treaty states that--

    (1) the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and 
other celestial bodies, shall be carried out for the benefit and in the 
interests of all countries, irrespective of their degree of economic or 
scientific development, and shall be the province of all mankind;

    (2) outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall 
be free for exploration and use by all states without discrimination of any 
kind, on a basis of equality and in accordance with international law, and 
there shall be free access to all areas of celestial bodies; and

    (3) there shall be freedom of scientific investigation in outer space, 
including the Moon and other celestial bodies, and states shall facilitate 
and encourage international cooperation in such investigation;

Whereas realization of Article I of the Outer Space Treaty requires sustainable 
        access to space;
Whereas actions that could threaten access to space, such as an inadvertent or 
        intentional creation of persistent debris, threaten the potential to 
        explore and use space for all countries;
Whereas if agreements on the sustainable use of space are not made, the 
        potential for a future trillion-dollar economy in space will be 
        threatened;
Whereas the United States has been a leader in developing the rules, 
        regulations, and best practices for successful operation in space;
Whereas the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space--

    (1) furthers the exploration and use of space for the benefit of all 
humanity;

    (2) works on a consensus basis with 92 member states; and

    (3) in 2011, was charged with developing guidelines for space 
sustainability;

Whereas the United States has been instrumental in the development of those 
        guidelines; and
Whereas the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space has 
        agreed on 21 such guidelines for implementation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports improvements in space situational awareness 
        and advances in technology and international cooperation;
            (2) recognizes that the use of space by governments and 
        private entities requires a system for deconfliction of space 
        traffic and prevention of collisions to ensure the use of space 
        for current and future users;
            (3) supports the efforts of the international community and 
        the United States to implement the 21 guidelines for space 
        sustainability agreed on by the United Nations Committee on the 
        Peaceful Uses of Outer Space;
            (4) encourages the Secretary of State to continue to 
        support those efforts;
            (5) supports continued interagency efforts--
                    (A) to streamline regulations relating to access to 
                space; and
                    (B) to support the continued sustainable use of 
                space by government and private entities in Earth orbit 
                and deep space; and
            (6) requests that the Secretary of State notify Congress of 
        any legislative requirements for implementation of the 21 
        guidelines for space sustainability agreed on by the United 
        Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
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