Where are we going next?

OPINION:

As Chairman of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, one question I am regularly asked is, “In space, where are we going next?” My answer is always the same, “It depends.” I will give you a better answer, but first, let’s look at where we’ve been.

On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers successfully took flight for the first time in history. Just 66 years later, millions sat around their television sets and radios as Neil Armstrong unforgettably declared, “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” In less than one lifetime, humanity witnessed our first flight to our first step on another celestial body.

And we did it five more times. Less than two and a half years after Apollo 11, America landed ten more men on the Moon. Since then, we have witnessed incredible achievements, like the Space Shuttle Program sending more than 350 astronauts to space and the International Space Station (ISS) demonstrating that humanity can continuously live and work in space for more than 20 years.

The private sector has always been a critical partner in our space exploration achievements. Today, we are seeing an even greater number of new commercial space providers who have proven themselves more than capable of achieving the extraordinary. But don’t forget; this is still a nascent industry - we are still learning.

Here begins the “it depends” part of my answer

If we over-regulate the industry now, we risk that these companies will only innovate for regulatory compliance. We’ve seen this before; just look at the airline industry. After the 1956 Grand Canyon mid-air collision, legislation was passed establishing the FAA - the safety improvements were drastic, and mid-air collisions reduced dramatically.

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Unfortunately, in large part, so has the innovation. Don’t get me wrong, safety improvements were needed, and many lives have been saved as a result. Our engines may be more efficient now, but our flights fly at about the same speed as they did in the 1960s, only with cramped seats and, frustratingly, more time on the tarmac. That’s not innovation.

Since air travel has become a common form of transportation, increased safety regulation is a good thing, but imagine if the FAA existed in 1903 and created onerous regulations immediately after history was made at Kitty Hawk, NC. My bet is that we wouldn’t see the tremendous strides made in our space industry - including not walking on the Moon.

My point is that when it comes to space, the position we are in right now is closer to Kitty Hawk. It is incumbent upon us to allow innovation to flourish, and as a result, we will see great strides in exploration.

So where are we now?

Last year, NASA launched Artemis I to the Moon and back, marking the critical first step in a series of increasingly complex missions that will expand the bounds of human exploration and knowledge for decades to come. In the near term, NASA promises the Moon with its sights set firmly on Mars.

Much of the work for Artemis I took place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) - the global epicenter of human space exploration, which I am proud to represent in Congress. JSC is an excellent example of collaborative commercial partnerships, with their civil servant and contractor workforce anchoring cutting-edge space activity in the Houston area and attracting private sector investment from across the country.

And look at what these commercial partners have accomplished. We are seeing private companies fly to the ISS, build lunar landers, and unveil new exploration opportunities. Some are even developing plans for privately owned space stations in low-earth orbit, while others are designing the next generation of space suits.

If we allow these companies to innovate, they can drive down costs, increase competition, and accelerate schedules. By leveraging these partnerships, NASA could focus more resources on scientific research and development.

But these partnerships will lose their strategic value if we do not find a regulatory balance that will allow innovative pioneers to push the bounds on where we can go and what we can do. If we don’t, we risk jeopardizing American leadership in space.

Burdensome regulation will send us backward, not propel us forward. We can accomplish tremendous things if politicians give the space community constancy of purpose and if the bureaucrats stop overregulating. Couple this with increased collaboration between civil and commercial space leadership and their unparalleled expertise; we can’t begin to imagine the potential.

But back to the question of “Where are we going next?” If we maintain a light regulatory touch, the true answer is even more romantic than a specific destination: We can go anywhere we want.

• U.S. Representative Brian Babin, Texas Republican, serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, where he serves as Chairman of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee. A lifelong resident of East Texas, he represents the state’s 36th Congressional District, home to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, four deepwater ports, and numerous oil and gas refineries.