Commerce Rolls Out Space Export Control Rules Changes

The Commerce Department's revised space-related export control rules announced Thursday are aimed at "further[ing] U.S. innovation and technology leadership while protecting U.S. national security and foreign policy interests," the agency said. Under the revised rules, Commerce is ending license requirements for exports to Australia, Canada and the U.K. of some items for remote sensing or space-based logistics, assembly or servicing spacecraft. It also is ending license requirements for the export of certain space components to more than 40 nations. And it's proposing to transfer jurisdiction of some defense-related space technology from the State Department's U.S. munitions list to Commerce's control list, meaning Commerce could use license exceptions to allow exports of that tech to allies. The rules changes are "a really big deal [and] the biggest change to space export controls since the Obama Admin reforms," Aerospace Corp. Systems Director Brian Weeden posted on LinkedIn Friday. The changes should help the U.S. "expand [its space] technological leadership into the future," Aerospace Industries Association CEO Eric Fanning said.