My colleague <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100629_1659.php">Bob Brewin notes</a> that President Obama has let up on the government's long held belief that America controls outer space in signing a new national space policy that contemplates relying on non-U.S. satellite navigation for backup and support.
My colleague Bob Brewin notes that President Obama has let up on the government's long held belief that America controls outer space in signing a new national space policy that contemplates relying on non-U.S. satellite navigation for backup and support.
The plan also imagines extraterrestrial observation as a way of advancing the White House's open government initiative, which centers on information disclosure and public-private collaboration throughout all levels of government, including overseas.
Some of the transparency-related items in the policy:
Departments and agencies, in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall "promote the adoption of policies internationally that facilitate full, open and timely access to government environmental data."Non-security areas for potential collaboration with foreign governments include earth science and observation; environmental monitoring; geospatial information products and services; search and rescue; use of space for maritime domain awareness; and long-term preservation of the space environment for human activity and use.
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