Congressmen Ted Lieu, D-Calif., and Ken Calvert, R-Calif., introduced the Space Infrastructure Act on June 4. This bill directs the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to designate space systems, services, and technology as a critical infrastructure sector.
“Many things we rely on – like navigation systems, cable tv, and communications tools – function with the help of technology in and around space. As a result, we have to ensure that we’re protecting these critical systems by directing the right minds and resources towards them,” Rep. Lieu said in a statement.
The DHS currently protects 16 different critical infrastructure sectors; space is not one of them. With this bill, there would be a designated sector of crucial infrastructure for the space industry, ensuring cogent security analyses of assets like satellites in orbit, launch systems on the ground, manufacturing plants, communications devices, supply chain, and information technology.
“All the recent hacking incidents underscore that we have to be forward-thinking about how to safeguard critical infrastructure,” said Rep. Lieu.
Rep. Calvert and Rep. Lieu co-chair the California Aerospace Caucus, giving them firsthand knowledge of how important it is to strengthen efforts to secure space-based assets.
“American assets in space play a vital role in our economic and national security,” Rep. Calvert said in the release. “The collaboration between federal security agencies and industry partners, directly and indirectly, involved with space-based assets and technologies is essential to America’s future as we confront evolving threats.”
