This Space Brief highlights some of the most relevant regulatory and policy news and milestones of the last months.

See below the main events between April and June 2024.

 

April

  • EU announces proposal for the EU Space Law (EUSL) for later 2024
  • The European Commission and ESA sign collaboration agreement to address critical global challenges through space
  • The European Defence Agency (EDA) issues Annual Report 2023
  • ESA accelerates the race towards clean energy from space
  • Sweden, Slovenia and Switzerland sign the Artemis Accords
  • UK CAA grants range license to SaxaVord spaceport
  • US FAA announces changes to licensing of re-entry vehicles
  • US DoD releases 2024 DoD Commercial Space Integration Strategy
  • NASA announces new Space Sustainability Strategy
  • NOAA issues vision for Global Space Situational Awareness Coordination
  • Canada announces creation of National Space Council
  • The NewSpace Africa Conference takes place in Angola
  • The Regional Centre For Mapping Of Resources For Development (RCMRD) and the SatNav Africa Joint Programme Office (JPO) sign agreement for position and navigation
  • China plans to use commercial launch capacity to launch megaconstellations
  • Thailand joins China’s ILRS moon base project
  • World Economic Forum issues insight Report on space

 

May

  • The Lisbon Declaration for Outer Space is presented at the Management and Sustainability of Space Activities Conference, organised by UNOOSA and the Portuguese Space Agency
  • The EU publishes the Critical Raw Materials Act, which addresses the space sector
  • The European Commission JRC publishes Earth Observation Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA)
  • The Council of the EU adopts Conclusions on strengthening Europe’s competitiveness through space
  • EUSPA launches a call to establish a database of Business Accelerators
  • EU SATCEN releases Annual Report 2023
  • ESA adopts Resolution on strengthening Europe’s Competitiveness through Space
  • Twelve nations sign the Zero Debris Charter at the ESA/EU Space Council
  • ESA awards contracts for Spain’s contribution to the Atlantic Constellation
  • ESA and NASA sign agreement to land Europe’s rover on Mars
  • Lithuania, Slovakia and Peru sign the Artemis Accords
  • The Portuguese Directorate-General of Resources for National Defence (DGRDN) issues a notice of procedure for the acquisition of local support and operation of the optical sensor on the island of Santa Maria, under the SST programme
  • The UK Space Agency announces investment into early-stage technology programme to enhance UK’s Earth observation technologies
  • The UK Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) publishes the Space Regulatory Review 2024
  • The UK Science and Defence Ministers launch the National Space Operations Centre
  • Serbia joins ILRS moon base project
  • US FCC proposes new rules for debris risks
  • Kenya Space Agency issues Strategic Plan 2023-2027
  • Korea opens Korea AeroSpace Administration (KARA)
  • The Dominican Republic kicks off a study into the feasibility of setting up a commercial spaceport
  • Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) announces the creation of Neo Space Group (NSG) to specifically invest in local and international commercial satellite opportunities

 

June