Outer space

Trump to sign executive order creating a national space council

Later today, the White House is expected to announce that President Trump has signed an executive order to reinstate the National Space Council. This should finally kick off the much-anticipated formulation of a space policy from the Trump administration, which will encompass military, civil, and commercial interests. The new council, led by Vice President Mike Pence, has the potential to do a great deal of good—or it could further muddy the waters of what already is kind of a mess.

Space policy experts are hoping for the former. "I think bringing back the National Space Council could be an improvement, but it's not guaranteed," Brian Weeden, a technical adviser to the Secure World Foundation, told Ars. "Much depends on what the Council will focus on and how it interacts with the other inter-agency processes," he said. Weeden's organization promotes sustainable and peaceful uses of outer space.

Pence

The key member of the council will be its chairman, Pence, who has shown a burgeoning interest in space matters. In early June, the vice president visited Johnson Space Center in Houston to address NASA's newest class of astronaut candidates.