Injecting the Free Market into Spectrum Use for Space Applications

A government-directed approach to spectrum assignment will struggle to match the efficiency of the market to optimize transactions and use of resources for economic productivity. Aligning spectrum use governance to a property-rights model would maximize the efficient and productive use of spectrum resources.

New rules being made by the Federal Communications Commission will create positive and meaningful impacts, but more profound changes should be considered. The payoff from these changes would be worth it, as they would pave the way for economic growth and innovation in the space economy. The success of U.S. companies in retaining and growing their share of the global space market will shape overall U.S. economic and national power. That success hinges on improving the way spectrum use for space applications is governed and regulated.

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