Maryland Senate Bill 867 Advances Military Aerospace Research
25 September 2026 | ZEROGeoengineering.com | Maryland is the home to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Naval Center for Space Technology of the Naval Research Lab, and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. These four agencies are cited in the Engrossed language of MD SB 867.
The proposed legislation aims to expand the purpose of the Maryland Aerospace and Technology Commission by “promoting innovation in space science, space technology, and aeronautics.” The Maryland Assembly’s prioritizing profits before environmental preservation/public safety and increasing opportunities for atmospheric experimentation, could explain why Maryland SB 911 [ “Prohibiting a person from injecting, releasing, or dispersing a chemical compound, substance, or apparatus into the atmosphere…” ] did not move out of the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment this year.
AN ACT concerning Economic Development – Maryland Aerospace and Technology Commission – Alterations
“ELIGIBLE ENTITY” MEANS:
(1) A BUSINESS OR NONPROFIT ENTITY INVOLVED IN AEROSPACE–RELATED TECHNOLOGIES;
(2) A GOVERNMENT ENTITY; OR
(3) AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT CONDUCTS AEROSPACE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE STATE. 
The purpose of the Commission is to promote innovation in the fields of space exploration, SPACE SCIENCE, SPACE TECHNOLOGY, AERONAUTICS, and commercial aerospace opportunities, including the integration of space, aeronautics, and aviation industries into the economy of the State.
…REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMERCIAL SPACE INDUSTRY. 
MANAGE EXECUTION OF ALL PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES AS CONSIDERED NECESSARY BY THE COMMISSION; 
The Commission shall:
(1) identify research and funding opportunities for entities in this State that:
(i) strengthen and enhance the State’s leadership position in civil, commercial, and military aerospace research and development;
Maryland residents can send a letter to oppose SB 867 and support to legislation such as SB 911 HERE
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