In an article in this week’s issue of The Space Review, I outline some of the regulatory and legislative issues the entrepreneurial space community is focusing on now. With the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act now law, attention has shifted towards developing specific regulations required by the law. In addition, advocates are studying issues like export controls and a role for space vehicle startups in the Air Force’s new push for “operationally responsive space”. Speaking of ITAR, Taylor Dinerman has a separate article in this week’s issue about the topic. In his opinion not only has ITAR hurt the US space industry, it has been ineffective in preventing the transfer of high technology. (As always, standard disclaimers apply.)
This is a very sore subject amongst the other commercial space companies, namely the satellite builders. Since commsats have been placed under the ITAR list in 1999, the U.S. satellite manufacturing sector has lost billions in contracts to global competitors. In a business with only 20-30 contracts awarded annually, every contract counts and due to ITAR, we are being hurt in our ability to even bid. Not just to countries like China, but also to our friends in Canada like Telesat!
Once again, US policy is pushing business across the ocean. You’d thought we would have learned our lesson back in the 80s where our policies helped pushed the europeans to develop the arianne rocket which is now the most dominate commercial heavy launcher in the world.