S.Amdt. 3221

This amendment adds the Situational Awareness of Flying Elements in Orbit Act, also known as the SAFE Orbit Act, to the bill. Its purpose is to improve the safety of space operations and support the growth of commercial space capabilities.

The amendment aims to add the following changes and requirements:

• Space Safety and Coordination: It directs the Secretary of Commerce to acquire and share unclassified data, analytics, and services regarding space activities to help avoid collisions of space objects.

• Public and Operator Services: The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Space Commerce must provide a free, updated, unclassified database of space object behavior to the public and provide basic space situational awareness services to satellite operators at no charge.

• Industry Protection: The government must leverage commercial capabilities and prioritize U.S.-based industry for data acquisition. It also requires that these government services do not compete with private sector products, with reviews conducted every 3 years.

• Legal Immunity: It grants immunity from lawsuits to the U.S. government, its agencies, and any persons or entities acting for the government regarding the provision or receipt of space situational awareness services.

• Organizational Changes: It transforms the Office of Space Commerce from an office within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration into a bureau reporting directly to the Office of the Secretary of Commerce within 5 years.

• Leadership and Staffing: It establishes that the Bureau will be headed by an Assistant Secretary appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. It also requires a staffing plan to be submitted to Congress and limits the reduction of full-time positions unless based on performance.