CSIS Says ITAR Hurting US Space Industry
May 2008
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released their report of the health of the US space industry in February 2008, and there has been controversy since. The report concluded quantifiable data about the consequences that the ITAR has brought onto American second and third-tiered suppliers of commercial satellites and their components.
Large companies and organizations such as NASA have resources to overcome the obstacles set forth by the ITAR, although they dispute that their profit margins are depleting as they continue to cope with regulations. Small companies and individual researchers are slowly falling out of the space industry because they can not survive the financial issues brought on by the ITAR regulations.
Former AIA President and CEO John Douglass recommended that, among other things, “removing commercial communications satellites and components from the US Munitions List.” He also suggested a “further study to determine whether other non-military systems should be available for export.”
Many have made the strong point that the US is the only country which classifies commercial satellites as “weapons systems” and the fact that a rebalancing of the government’s approach must take place. Many are looking towards the upcoming President and Congress to make changes that will allow US companies to sell their products in the global market place. The major issue in question is how to balance our indefinite need for security and our need for trade.
More information:
- Itar’s failure (The Space Review)
- Aerospace Industries Association
