American Future in Civil Space Proceedings of a Workshop, in Brief

Astrogeology, Asteroids, Robots, Space Flight & Extraterrestrial Matters / Lunar Activities

Since the National Research Council released the report American Future in Space: Aligning the Civil Space Program with National Needs in 2009, numerous changes have occurred in the civil space arena. In May 2017, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a workshop on American Future in Civil Space with several objectives: Review the history of U.S. space policy and how it might form a broad policy basis for twenty-first century leadership in space:

Examined the balance and interfaces between fundamental scientific research in space, human space exploration, robotic exploration, earth observations, and applications of space technology and civil space systems for societal benefits. 

Discussed the value, purpose, and goals of international cooperation in space.

Discussed the role that the evolving commercial space sector could play in fulfilling national space goals and the role of the government in facilitating the further evolution and success of new actors and new modes of working with the commercial sector. 

Highlighted the challenges in maintaining the sustainability of outer space activities (including the role of space traffic management). 

Highlighted options for government attention to address and potentially resolve problems that might prevent achieving key national goals.

The workshop participants sought to capture what has changed, determine how to harness new opportunities, and decisively inform and encourage bold and timely implementation. To start these discussions, four speakers: Dan Mote, Alan Epstein, Fiona Harrison, and Robert Lightfoot, gave preliminary remarks. The president of the National Academy of Engineering, Dan Mote, welcomed the participants and recounted the history of the Academies providing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other government agencies with advice in the space arena, a history going back to 1958.

Mote noted that this event was being held as part of the 2017 50th anniversary of the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB) and as a precursor to the 2018 60th anniversary of the Space Studies Board (SSB). He thanked NASA for the close relationship with, and support of, the ASEB and SSB.