New National Space Policy Soon?

U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to reveal a presidental National Space Policy this month for the first time in his nearly 6-year old administration. The last National Space Policy was adopted by President Bill Cinton on 19 September 1996 as a Presidential Decision Directive /PDD/NSC 49.

The Bush space policy review commenced in 2002 with National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD-15. The National Security Council (NSC), with the assistance of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), was directed to conduct a review and report but no action was taken on a national space policy in 2003.

President Bush has previously issued National Security Policy Directive/NSPD-23 for a National Policy on Ballistic Missile Defense on 16 December 2002; National Policy Directive/ NSPD-27 relating to U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Policy on 25 April 2003; and, nearly two years later, on 6 January 2005, National Security Policy Directive/NSPD-40 relating to U.S. Space Transportation Policy.

Outside of the Vision for Space Exploration offered by Bush at NASA's Washington Headquaters in January 2004, no space policy directive has been issued by this president until now. Analysts expect the new space policy to focus a space-related defense. Stay tuned.