The Transportation A and B Subcommittee on Oct. 12 voted 8-0 to pass Senate Bill 135, which would expand the Oklahoma Aircraft Engine Testing Development Grant Program to include testing of rocket engines used for on-orbit maneuvering and repairs.

Sen. Clay Stairs, the bill sponsor, told the committee, "Senate Bill 135 expands the purpose of the Oklahoma aircraft engine testing development grant program to include testing of rocket engines." He said the change would allow existing aircraft engine testing facilities to test rocket propulsion engines on the ground rather than returning repaired engines to orbit for testing.

The bill drew several technical questions during the committee hearing. Representative Dempsey asked, "On this testing these rocket engines, the, how do they test them? I'm just curious." Stairs replied that the engines targeted by the bill are not launch-stage rockets but smaller positioning thrusters used once a vehicle is in orbit and that testing would occur in a ground facility designed to simulate operating conditions.

Stairs described the policy as related to small satellites, saying, "Right now we've got about 10,000 satellites that are out there in space. By 2030 we're looking at about 58,000 small satellites that are out there," and argued expanding testing authority would support repairs and reduce operational risk for constellations of smaller satellites.

Committee members also noted similar legislation moving through the process. Stairs said there had been coordination with other sponsors: "Yes. And there have been conversations between Representative Archer and Representative Hace. These are mirror bills, so one of them will end up moving forward." He told the panel the change carries no fiscal impact: "There is no fiscal. This is all policy. There's no money attached to this."

After brief questions and no extended debate, staff opened the roll call and the committee approved the bill unanimously, 8-0.