ASTWG Background
An Interagency Working Group (IWG) co-chaired by
the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the National Security
Council (NSC) performed the White House sponsored study, "The Future
Management and Uses of the U.S. Space Launch Bases and Ranges". During this effort it became apparent that
more focus on the development of range technology to support next-generation
Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLV) and Expendable Launch Vehicles (ELV) would be
needed if the ground systems were to keep pace with the development of the
flight systems. Subsequently, the IWG
produced a report with the appropriate recommendation. Similar issues exist for
spaceports.
The need has been recognized for the coordination
of the development and demonstration of next generation spaceport technologies.
To this end, NASA has formed the Advanced Spaceport Technology Working Group
(ASTWG) to provide a synergistic approach for identifying, developing, and
demonstrating spaceport technologies.
The working group will be chaired by NASA/KSC. The ASTWG will solicit input from other federal agencies, state
agencies, state spaceports, commercial spaceports, industry, and academia.
