50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing
This week, we join the world in celebrating one of humanity's and America's greatest achievements: landing on the moon. The Apollo 11 Mission was not only a success for America, but the entire global community. #Apollo50th pic.twitter.com/14KhTTDDyU
— Department of State (@StateDept) July 18, 2019
Space Enterprise Summit
The U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Commerce will co-host the Space Enterprise Summit in Washington, DC, June 26-27, to promote innovation and investment in the commercial space industry.
Participate in two days of engagement with high-level representatives of government and nongovernment, prominent industry, and space organizations to discuss the latest industry policy developments and emerging opportunities in space.
The Summit will include sessions on commercial space activities and opportunities and challenges for industry to collaborate internationally. Learn more»
International Space Exploration Forum
Space exploration benefits all humankind, and it is essential for governments to work together internationally to advance shared objectives for space exploration. Such collaboration has facilitated the development of new technologies, realized commercial opportunities, identified opportunities for shared missions such as the International Space Station, and inspired younger generations to undertake the challenge of space exploration. Japan will host the 2nd International Space Exploration Forum in 2018.
International Committee on GNSS (ICG)
Over the past 20 years, GPS has grown into a global public asset, whose multi-use services are integral to U.S. national security, economic growth, transportation safety, and homeland security, and are an essential element of the worldwide economic infrastructure. OES/SA has led the U.S. effort to ensure that GPS remains at the core of a compatible and interoperable system of Global Navigation Satellites Systems (GNSS), providing civil services to users around the world. These efforts are carried out through bilateral and multilateral engagement.
In 2004, the U.S. and the European Union (EU) finalized an agreement to ensure compatibility and interoperability between GPS and the EU’s Galileo system. The U.S. also has held regular bilateral discussions with China since 2014 related to compatibility and interoperability between their BeiDou or BDS system and GPS, and cooperation in providing civil GNSS service. Bilateral discussions with Japan and India have also been held on a regular basis to discuss cooperation on their regional navigation satellite systems.
As the co-chair r of the UN Action Team on GNSS, OES/SA was instrumental in the creation of the International Committee GNSS (ICG), an informal body bringing together system providers and users of GNSS technology to promote compatibility and interoperability among systems, cooperation on matters of mutual interest related to civil satellite-based positioning, navigation, timing, and value-added services. The ICG also promotes the use of GNSS to support sustainable development, particularly in the developing countries. The U.S. continues to participate actively in these meetings, which have been held annually since 2006, and hosted the 10th anniversary meeting in November 2015, in Boulder, Colorado.
Space Weather as a Global Challenge
Space weather events are naturally occurring phenomena in the space environment that have the potential to disrupt technologies and systems in space and on Earth. These phenomena can affect satellite and airline operations, communications networks, navigation systems, the electric power grid, and other technologies and infrastructures critical to the daily functioning, economic vitality, and security of the global economy.
In support of the 2015 National Space Weather Strategy and the 2015 National Space Weather Action Plan , the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) is strengthening international coordination and cooperation on space weather preparedness by organizing workshops and meetings in Washington, DC with embassy staff from a multitude of nations. At the center of these efforts is the annual “Space Weather as a Global Challenge” Dialogue, which OES and the Secure World Foundation have convened since 2016.