Regulatory Know-How a Challenge for Space Startups: ACSP

Space startups and entrepreneurs often are unaware of the regulations and requirements pertinent to their businesses, like export control, or that the regulatory process can be expensive, said Aegis Space Law lawyer Bailey Reichelt Wednesday at an Association of Commercial Space Professionals event. The seminar went over basics of space law regulation, such as relevant agencies and legislation, plus the processes, such as recommendations for particular staffers to contact at FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation. Space consultant Caryn Schenewerk said the FAA is facing a resource challenge, with insufficient staffing to handle all the applications. She said it also could use improved processes, and a ticket system where an applicant can see where it is in the queue and get feedback. She said one FAA staffing challenge is that it's in a hiring battle with the private sector since there's strong demand by commercial space companies.