Vice President Kamala Harris To Chair National Space Council
The Biden administration announced that Vice President Kamala Harris will chair the National Space Council.
Harris accepted her new role on Saturday, responding in a tweet, "As I've said before: In America when we shoot for the moon, we plant our flag on it. I am honored to lead our National Space Council."
Harris intends "to put her own personal stamp" on the council to focus on a wide variety of space policies, including the sustainable development of commercial spaceflight, "advancing peaceful norms and responsible behaviors in space," climate change, and more, according to senior administration officials.
The White House is still in pursuit of an executive secretary of the council.
According to reports, Harris will focus on National security, enhancing cybersecurity for U.S. assets in space, senior administration officials said. Also, she’ll prioritize climate change, STEM efforts for science, engineering, and math education, and to diversity in the space industry's workforce and economic development.
The Biden administration recently selected former senator Bill Nelson of Florida for NASA administrator. He was unanimously confirmed by the Senate and will be sworn in as NASA's new chief on Monday (May 3).
"The Vice President is the perfect person to lead the federal government's space policy," said Nelson.
The National Space Council (NSC) was first launched by George H. W. Bush in 1989. The council was designed to review U.S. space policy and make recommendations. The council was dormant until the Trump administration revived it in an executive order in 2017.
