ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., June 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aegis Space Law, a leading law firm for the commercial space industry, announced today the launch of a free, first-of-its-kind Space Regulatory Calculator, designed to guide companies through the U.S. space regulatory landscape, overseen by five primary government agencies. The calculator was created specifically for U.S. commercial space companies that want to understand the complexity, time and cost involved in navigating the entire U.S. federal regulatory process, enabling them to ensure legal compliance and manage budgets.
“We know early-stage companies are often entering into uncharted territory when it comes to meeting space regulatory requirements,” noted Aegis Co-Founder Bailey Reichelt, who developed the calculator with Aegis Partner, Will Lewis. “The sophisticated legal advice needed to navigate this many agencies effectively can cost more than most companies can afford. This leaves companies vulnerable to missteps that can cost time, money or even mission or organizational viability. This calculator was designed to provide a strong and affordable first step in the direction of mission-critical regulatory compliance.”
The continuous evolution and complexity of U.S. space law and regulation is due in part to innovation in the industry and the sheer volume and types of activities being regulated, including launch, reentry, remote sensing, export controls, telecommunications, frequency allocations, and space safety. These activities are managed and enforced across a minimum of five government agencies:
- Federal Aviation Administration (launches, reentries)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (remote sensing)
- Department of State (export controls)
- Department of Commerce (export controls)
- Federal Communications Commission (telecommunications, spectrum access, space safety)
In order to navigate the requirements of these agencies, the calculator enables a company to use a single business objective to answer a series of “yes/no” questions.
The calculator will then tell the company which government agencies it needs to speak with, what timeline it can expect to face given these requirements and how much budget it may want to allocate to comply with the expected regulatory process. (A small business looking to launch its first satellite, for example, would see, among other things, that it may need to plan at least two years in advance to ensure required licenses are obtained prior to launch.) Because of the ever-changing nature of U.S. space law and regulations, Aegis will regularly update this calculator as regulations change and continue to iterate on the user friendliness of the interface.
“On a practical level, this tool was designed to help companies get a ballpark idea of realistic timelines and avoid penalties and fines…or worse,” Reichelt emphasized. “But more fundamentally, it was created to lower legal barriers to space by strengthening knowledge among those driving the U.S. space industry innovation engine. And that’s critical for everyone.”
About Aegis Space Law
Founded in 2020, Aegis Space Law is a leading U.S. law firm that focuses on serving the commercial space industry. The firm is dedicated to advancing the space industry by using a focused and innovative legal approach which holistically addresses law as it applies to the commercial space industry.
Media Contact:
Natalie Rizk
The RiotMind Agency
natalier@theriotmind.agency
1 [505] 252-4279
