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Space Policy

KEY PEOPLE

George W.S. Abbey, Baker Botts Senior Fellow in Space Policy

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

More than 40 years ago, in a speech delivered at Rice University, President John F. Kennedy called for a great national effort to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Kennedy declared, “The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not, and it is one of the great adventures of all time, and no nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in the race for space.”

Today, America’s preeminent role in space is being challenged both internationally and domestically. Space policy has become a prominent and contentious public policy issue. The future of America’s space program is at a critical point in time—decisions are being made that will affect not only our national security and our leadership role in space, but also our ability to successfully compete with other countries in the commercial use of space for many years to come. Where do we go from here? What is the future of robotic and human space exploration and utilization? What space policies should the United States follow to promote national security, international stability, scientific discovery, and economic competitiveness? To facilitate the search for answers to these questions, and many others, is the mission of the Space Policy Program at the Baker Institute.

By virtue of a long tradition of space research and continuing interest by the Rice University faculty and administration, the institute’s Space Policy Program is distinctively positioned to influence the emerging national debate. In 2002, the Baker Institute and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics co-hosted the first Space Policy Conference in conjunction with the World Space Congress held in Houston. In 2003, the institute co-hosted with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences a workshop on “Commercial Perspectives on Space Development: Obstacles and Opportunities.”

Through its Space Policy Program, the Baker Institute will continue to bring together experts from academia, government, industry, and nongovernmental agencies, and it will sponsor research, workshops, seminars, and lectures covering a wide range of space-related topics from which working papers, reports, and constructive public policy recommendations will be generated. Through the exchange of diverse perspectives, the encouragement of vigorous debate, and the focus on developing solutions to complex problems, the mission of the institute’s Space Policy Program is to enhance the understanding of the principal issues facing policymakers and to truly lend a meaningful voice to our country and the world.