There really is no terrestrial parallel to space exploration. While American pioneers pushed westward with minimal government oversight, the space age began with government funds and directives. Today, what was once the domain of nation-states is now (theoretically) accessible to upstarts and dreamers.
While the United States and peer nations maintain government-directed space programs, the most promising new technologies are emerging from private industry. The promise of the “space economy” is becoming reality. Reusable rocket technology is driving launch costs lower even in the face of regulatory hurdles.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr took a step to help America’s regulatory infrastructure match the pace of its commercial industry, when he announced on Oct. 6 that the FCC would create a “licensing assembly line” for satellite launches and drive more efficient use of satellite spectrum. These are meaningful steps toward unleashing American innovation and developing an enduring orbital economy. And it should serve as a template for every federal agency with jurisdiction over space operations.
