Ne Colorado News

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo, M.D. (CO-08) and Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) on June 15 introduced their bipartisan bill, the Space Resources Institute Act, directing NASA and the Department of Commerce to look into establishing an educational institute to support research on space resources and help maintain the United States’ preeminence in space.

In the past decade there has been growing interest in In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), or the practice of using materials found or manufactured on other astronomical objects (like on the Moon, asteroids, or Mars) to replace materials that otherwise would have been brought from Earth. The Institute would sponsor and lead basic scientific research, resource mapping, and technology development enabling the capture and utilization of space resources.

“Space is the next frontier of American innovation and I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort with Congressman Lamborn to ensure we continue leading the way,” said Congresswoman Caraveo. “The study of space resources will play an important role in Colorado’s aerospace economy and future space missions, including getting our astronauts to the Moon and Mars.” 

“Today we open a new door for space research and technology development,” said Congressman Lamborn. “The Space Resources Institute Act will allow the federal government to leverage the best and brightest of Colorado in its assessment of obtaining and using space resources throughout the Solar System. Through this bill the U.S. can be at the forefront of developing standards for responsible exploration, extraction, use, and stewardship of these valuable resources.”

“Colorado School of Mines is home to the first and only graduate education program in the United States dedicated to space resources—a field which has become an important and growing part of Colorado’s economy,” said Angel Abbud-Madrid, Director of the Space Resources Program at Colorado School of Mines. “The Space Resources Institute Act will help advance this emerging field by strengthening partnerships between industry, academia and government, and we thank Congresswoman Caraveo and Congressman Lamborn for their support and leadership.”

With the increasing interest in the development of Space Resources around the world in academia, government agencies, and industry, the United States should lead the world in the development of this strategically important new field. 

While NASA, academic institutions, and commercial industry have worked to advance research into this ISRU, there is no central hub to support the development of foundational science and technology for effectively using space resources. The goal of the bipartisan Space Resources Institute Act is to have NASA evaluate creating such a hub at an academic institution and explore ways to improve research and develop new technology for space resources.

Colorado’s Reps. Joe Neguse (CO-02) and Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) have also signed onto the bill.

Congresswoman Dr. Caraveo is a first generation American whose parents immigrated to Colorado from Chihuahua. She has served Colorado families as a pediatrician for over a decade and as a member of the state House. She is now the first Latina congressperson in Colorado’s history and the first representative of CO-08, Colorado’s newest congressional seat. She serves on the House Agriculture and House Science, Space, & Technology Committees. 

Original source can be found here