Y4. C73/7: 5. hrg. 98-1105 COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH ACT S. HRG. 98-1105 HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SPACE OF THE STANFORD COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, NINETY-EIGHTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON S. 2931 TO FACILITATE CERTAIN SPACE LAUNCHES, AND FOR OTHER P20-57 BARRY GOLDWATER, Arizona BOB KASTEN, Wisconsin PAUL S. TRIBLE, JR., Virginia ERNEST F. HOLLINGS, South Carolina FRANK R. LAUTENBERG, New Jersey GERALD J. KOVACH, Chief Counsel SUBCOMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SPACE SLADE GORTON, Washington, Chairman BARRY GOLDWATER, Arizona HOWELL HEFLIN, Alabama Dorn, Jennifer, Director, Office of Commercial Space Transportation, Department of Transportation.. Prepared statement Gillam, Isaac T., IV, Assistant Associate Administrator for Customer Rela- Questions of Senator Gorton and the answers thereto. ............ ................................. Questions of Senator Gorton and the answers thereto Rector, William F., III, division vice president, space programs, General Dy- Whiting, Fred, executive director, American Space Foundation. COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH ACT THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1984 U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:30 a.m., in room SR-253, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Slade Gorton (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Staff members assigned to this hearing: Pete Perkins, professional staff member and Marty Kress, minority professional staff member. OPENING STATEMENT BY SENATOR GORTON Senator GORTON. Welcome to this hearing of the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space. Today we will consider several initiatives designed to develop the commercial potential of space through increased private sector investments and involvement. The primary focus of this hearing is S. 2931 which has been introduced by my committee colleague, Senator Trible. This legislation seeks to facilitate private sector space launch activity by establishing the Department of Transportation as the lead Federal agency with licensing authority over private expandable launch vehicle operations and by providing a framework within which this new industry can most effectively operate. With the Federal Government's decision to phase out of expandable launch vehicle operations, an opportunity has been created for the private sector to enter into this segment of space activity. This committee agrees with the administration that it is appropriate to assist this infant industry by streamlining the process by which the Federal Government licenses commercial space launch operations, but the licensing of the first two commercial space launches in 1982 and again last month, demonstrated that the presently employed licensing process is unwieldy and burdensome. The committee hopes that the legislation before us will assist the Department of Transportation in its efforts to negotiate the maze of regulations that must be satisifed for a commercial space launch for launch applicants. While the degree of success that this industry ultimately achieves will largely be a function of the marketplace, this committee believes that the Federal Government has a role to play in removing unnecessary institutional barriers, thereby creating a more favorable investment and operational climate. It is in this spirit |