{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hickenlooper.senate.gov/press_releases/hickenlooper-crapo-reintroduce-bill-to-protect-night-sky-aid-research/", "Hickenlooper, Crapo Reintroduce Bill to Protect Night Sky, Aid Research", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "CO", "John W. Hickenlooper", "H000273", "www.hickenlooper.senate.gov", "hickenlooper", "https://www.hickenlooper.senate.gov/press/page/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Mike Crapo reintroduced their bipartisan Dark and Quiet Skies Act, which would preserve the night sky from unintentional light and radio interference that disrupts industry and academic space research.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s bipartisan agreement that we need a strong space economy and cutting-edge scientific research to unlock the mysteries of our universe,\u201d said Hickenlooper. \u201cThe Dark and Quiet Skies Act helps us do both. This is a no-brainer solution, and we\u2019re pushing to get it done.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe vastness of Idaho\u2019s wilderness allows for truly magnificent wonders in the night sky,\u201d said Crapo. \u201cThe advancement of space technology has made these majestic spaces fewer, and collaborative approaches to mitigate interference is vitally needed.\u201d\n\nScientific and commercial space observations can be disrupted by the light and radio transmission of passing satellites. In the last five years, the number of satellites in orbit increased from 2,200 to over 9,000 satellites. By 2030, current estimates predict there will be over 500,000.\n\nThe Dark and Quiet Skies Act would create a Center of Excellence overseen by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop best practices to reduce light and noise interference. The Center would boost collaboration between the astronomical community, industry, and Federal agencies to protect federally funded scientific research that observes the sky and celestial bodies.\n\n\u201cAccording to data from the citizen science project Globe at Night, the night sky is growing about 10% brighter each year. In addition to the aesthetic value of dark and quiet skies, there is tremendous educational and scientific value. Senator Hickenlooper\u2019s Dark and Quiet Skies Act will provide essential infrastructure and resources needed to preserve and protect scientific space observations,\u201d said David Brain, Chair of the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder.\n\n\u201cSenators Hickenlooper and Crapo are to be commended for encouraging collaboration between academia, industry, and government to ensure the space industry can grow without negatively impacting scientific research,\u201d said Audrey Schaffer, Senior Vice President, Global Policy and Government Strategy at Slingshot Aerospace, a leading U.S. space domain awareness company. \u201cEstablishing a Center of Excellence for Dark and Quiet Skies would accelerate the development and adoption of new technologies and techniques to help satellite operators understand and mitigate their impact on astronomy research. Thank you, Senator Hickenlooper and Senator Crapo, for your leadership on this emerging issue.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe thank Senators Hickenlooper and Crapo for their leadership towards the establishment of a Center of Excellence for Dark and Quiet Skies. By acting as a hub for collaboration and technology development, this Center will help protect federal investments in astronomy research while supporting responsible growth of the commercial space sector,\u201d said Dr. Dara Norman, President of the American Astronomical Society (AAS).\n\n\u201cDarkSky International endorses the Dark and Quiet Skies Act as a crucial step against satellite proliferation. While aimed at protecting astronomical research, we urge expanding the dialogue to include more voices. Dark skies enrich rural economies, preserve Indigenous knowledge, protect nocturnal ecosystems, and inspire wonder. Our cosmic view is a shared heritage that we all have a stake in protecting,\u201d said Ruskin Hartley, CEO of DarkSky International.\n\nSpecifically, the Center would:\n\nEstablish and circulate best practices to reduce unintentional optical and radio interference\n\nConduct research and development on tracking, identifying, modeling, and characterizing satellite interference\n\nDevelop mitigation technology that includes satellite paint, film, orientation adjustments, cooling techniques, or fuselage design\n\nOne pager of the bill available HERE and full text available HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.hickenlooper.senate.gov/press_releases/hickenlooper-crapo-reintroduce-bill-to-protect-night-sky-aid-research/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7523579988628626, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}