15 April, 2023
Mr. John Alden
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20230
Re: American Astronomical Society endorsement of NRAO Comment for Development of a National Spectrum Strategy (Regulations.gov Docket NTIA–2023–0003)
Dear Mr. Alden:
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) is the preeminent organization for U.S. astronomers and the U.S. astronomical community since 1899. We write today to express our strong endorsement of the Comment submitted by Harvey Liszt, astronomer and Spectrum Manager for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). This Comment was submitted towards the National Spectrum Strategy listening sessions held by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in March-April 2023, and towards the Development of a National Spectrum Strategy.
We urge you to closely review Dr. Liszt’s Comment on behalf of NRAO and Green Bank Observatory, and to follow their recommendations to improve protections for radio astronomy from ground-based, and increasingly, space-based radio signal interference. The future of US radio astronomy and its potential for scientific discovery rely on expanding the frequency allocations, spectrum access, and coordination of radio quiet zones overseen by the NTIA. This is especially critical at present given the increasingly noisy electromagnetic environment from known sources as well as from a growing list of unexpected, unwanted emissions that are impacting radio, optical and other areas of the astronomy enterprise.
Sincerely yours,
Kelsey Johnson, President of the AAS
Aparna Venkatesan and Teznie Pugh, Co-Chairs AAS Committee to Protect Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE)