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2022 Virtual March Storm Event
The Alliance for Space Development is taking our critical advocacy to the virtual domain once again! Due to the continuing situation with COVID-19, along with recommendations from the CDC and the city of Washington DC, the Alliance for Space Development has decided to keep this year’s March Storm event entirely virtual. We will be utilizing conference lines similar to the previous Fall Fury and March Storm events.
The 2022 Virtual March Storm Sign-Up link.
This year’s event will be hosted from Monday March 21st to Friday March 25th. Over the next few weeks, ASD will be scheduling meetings with key congressional offices and splitting volunteers into action teams. Virtual training will be provided for all signups. Our training will include specifics on who we are, what we are advocating for, and how to participate in these virtual meetings. We make sure that everyone can contribute to our advocacy efforts regardless of prior experience. Don’t be afraid to sign up if it’s your first time advocating! Training will take place on Sunday March 20th, and be recorded for reference to all volunteer advocates. More information will be provided by email after signup.
Please direct any questions or comments to Executive Coordinators Ian Burrell and Cari Reinert at [email protected] and [email protected].
Background information
The 2022 Virtual March Storm Event will be a premier advocacy event for pro-space enthusiasts and industry workers. This March, join fellow space enthusiasts from around the country to advocate for the 2022 Citizens’ Space Agenda developed by the Alliance for Space Development. Our policy points were developed by our member organizations including the National Space Society, Space Frontier Foundation, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, and several others. This year, the Alliance will advocate four policy points:
- Support the Commercial LEO Development Program through CLD stations and products.
- Support the Office of Space Commerce in developing language towards creating and operating a strategic space commodities reserve.
- Support the development of Space Solar Power capabilities through multiple programs between the Departments of Commerce and Defense.
- Support planetary defense by continued funding of NASA’s NEO Surveyor mission and other planetary defense initiatives.
The Commercial LEO Development (CLD) Program supports industry efforts to develop sustained commercial LEO presence, transition manned LEO activity from NASA to commercial partners, develop commercial LEO destinations, stimulate commercial growth in LEO, and ensure a seamless transition at the end-of-life for the International Space Station. We are asking for funding of CLD stations and purchase of CLD products.
A strategic space commodities reserve can contain chemical precursors such as hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and other components of useful materials for spaceflight activity. These chemicals can create air, water, fuel, fertilizer, and other organic compounds. Commodities will be provided by commercial entities, allowing government to act as a neutral market maker. A new objective of ASD, we are asking the Department of Commerce’s Office of Space Commerce to develop language on the creation and operation of such a reserve.
We are also continuing our efforts to promote Space Solar Power (SSP). SSP refers to the collection of the sun’s energy in the space environment, then beaming that energy for collection on the Earth’s surface. After a discussion with representatives from ASD member organizations, we believe our country’s capabilities with space access, solar power, and energy transfer have reached a level where we can begin looking at an SSP program. With increasingly cheaper access to orbit and a growing need for energy across the globe, this program could pave the way to U.S. dominance in LEO. Several agencies, companies, and international competitors have already begun their own research into SSP programs, and ASD is asking for government focus into this capability.
Following years of success, ASD is continuing our support of planetary defense by supporting the NEO Surveyor Mission. This mission will supply critical information on near-Earth objects unavailable to current ground-based instruments by using infrared detection and the Earth-Sun L1 orbit. ASD is asking for continued funding of the project.
The 2022 Virtual March Storm Sign-Up link.
ASD 2022 Objectives [PDF]
(More information about past legislative blitzes.)
Space Policy Blog Posts:
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