FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

DOC - 12150 - Advisory Committee on Excellence in Space - Agency Authority

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Advisory Committee on Excellence in Space	Agency Name	Department of Commerce
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	12150
Original Establishment Date	3/15/2002	Committee Status	Terminated
Actual Termination Date	2/28/2025	Committee URL	https://www.space.commerce.gov/aces
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	25
Terminated This FY	Yes	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Chief of Staff, NOAA Office of Space Commerce
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Mr.
Current Charter Date	3/4/2024	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Jason
Date Of Renewal Charter	3/4/2026	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	Y.
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Kim
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	202-482-5827
Establishment Authority*	Agency Authority	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	202-482-5827
Specific Establishment Authority*	Secretarial Decision Memorandum	Designated Federal Officer Email*	jason.kim@noaa.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	3/15/2002
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	National Policy Issue Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Terminate
Legislation to Terminate Required	No
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The Advisory Committee on Excellence in Space (ACES) was a Federal advisory committee that provided advice and recommendations to the NOAA Under Secretary or the Director of the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) on matters relating to OSC’s statutory purview, which included: Status and past developments of nongovernmental space activities; The manner in which the United States may facilitate and promote a robust and innovative commercial sector that is investing in, developing, and operating space objects; Challenges faced by the United States commercial sector related to: International obligations of the United States relevant to commercial space sector activities in outer space; Harmful interference with commercial space sector activities in outer space; Cybersecurity requirements, recommendations, or needs that affect the commercial space sector; Existing best practices for United States entities to avoid: The harmful contamination of the Moon and other celestial bodies; Adverse changes in the environment of the Earth resulting from the introduction of extraterrestrial matter; and Detrimental effects to the space environment resulting from new or existing space debris; Space sustainability; Other commercial space sector activities, as the Under Secretary or OSC Director considered appropriate.
How is membership balanced?*	ACES had a membership balance plan approved by GSA and the leadership of NOAA and DOC. The plan stated that ACES would have a fairly balanced membership consisting of no more than 25 members serving in a Representative or Special Government Employee capacity. The membership consisted of space policy, engineering, technical, science, legal, and finance professionals with significant experience in the commercial space industry. Approximately half of the Committee membership was dedicated to industry members who were at the executive level. The other half of the Committee membership consisted of non-industry members from academia, not-for-profit organizations (e.g., foundations, think tanks), and other entities (e.g., state governments, tribal nations). Some members represented entities that are NOAA licensees. The ACES membership featured geographic diversity to ensure representation of space communities throughout the United States, not just the major metropolitan areas. The diverse membership of the Committee assured perspectives and expertise reflecting the breadth of the Committee’s responsibilities, and, where possible, the Department of Commerce also considered the ethnic, racial, and gender diversity and various abilities of the United States population. As members’ terms end and new members were added, NOAA tried to ensure the committee remained balanced in terms of the evolution of the industry, ensured new perspectives were continuously offered. The ACES membership did not include Federal employees.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	ACES met approximately twice per year.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	There were no other Federal advisory committees capable of providing the same breadth of advice on commercial space policy and regulation. FAA's Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee was limited to space transportation issues, which were generally outside the scope of ACES. The NASA Advisory Council no longer included a policy and regulatory committee. Other DOC bureau advisory committees on aerospace trade (ITAC-1) and export controls (TRANSTAC) were too narrowly scoped to address the topics of interest to NOAA. NOAA could not solicit or receive industry consensus advice from the private sector without running afoul of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, unless it used ACES.
Why close or partially close meetings?	Meetings of the Committee were closed to the public as authorized by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C. § 1009(d), and applicable regulations. Committee meetings were closed only when discussing classified information.
Recommendation Remarks	The committee made one recommendation during its October 3, 2024, meeting. Per EO 14217, the Secretary of Commerce determined that the purposes for which ACES was established have been fulfilled, and the committee has been terminated effective February 28, 2025.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	No	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	N/A
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	Yes	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment		Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	None	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment		Grants Review Comment	N/A
Number Of Recommendations*	32	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	The committee made one recommendation during its October 2024 meeting.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	67.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	0.00%	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	0.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	No recommendations partially implemented to date.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	Agency published its feedback to the committee's recommendations at https://www.space.commerce.gov/aces.	Narrative Description*	The committee held one meeting in FY 2025 on October 3, 2024. The committee made one new recommendation at that meeting.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$0.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$31,998.47	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$0.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$0.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$0.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$0.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$0.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$7,384.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$0.00
11. Total Costs	$39,382.47	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	3/31/2025 10:29 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	0.00
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	0.14	Est Cost Remarks	Committee was terminated so there are no future expenses.
Cost Remarks	The FTE cost reflects only 0.4 years of part-time support to the committee before its termination.

Interest Areas

Category Area Business Business and Domestic Commerce Industry Communications Radio Computer Technology Technology Information Technology Cybersecurity Environment Earth Sciences Finance Finance Investment Government Federal Government International International Economic Policy International Law Labor Workforce and Occupations Legislation Legislation Regulations Rulemaking National Defense National Security and Defense Science and Technology Innovation Space Space and Aeronautics Trade Competitiveness Exports and Imports International Commerce and Investment Trade and Trade Policy

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