Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross sent a report to President Donald J. Trump detailing thirteen recommendations that will improve the global competitiveness of the American space sector through updated domestic and international spectrum policies. This report was developed collaboratively with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Space Council, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, as well as other Federal entities, to create a set of proposals the Federal Government as a whole can adopt to fuel the growth of the U.S. space commerce economy.

“In order for the United States to lead the world in a trillion-dollar space economy, spectrum policy must reflect the exploding demand in space and satellite services,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “We must, in Federal and international proceedings, allocate and assign radio frequencies in a manner that recognizes both terrestrial and satellite operations as essential for innovation, competitiveness, and economic growth.”

The report determines that a healthy satellite industry, equipped with sufficient access to the radio frequency spectrum, is vital to the global competitiveness of the United States space sector. Additionally, the report urges that policy makers protect space operations from harmful radio frequency interference and improve radio frequency access for domestic commercial space launches.

The report, titled, “Driving Space Commerce Through Effective Spectrum Policy: Recommendations for Improving the Global Competitiveness of the United States Space Sector through Radio Frequency Spectrum Policies, Regulation, and United States Activities at the International Telecommunication Union and Other Multilateral Forums” delivers on President Trump’s request in Space Policy Directive – 2 (SPD-2), which requires the Secretary of Commerce and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to provide a report to the President “on improving the global competitiveness of the United States space sector through radio frequency spectrum policies, regulation, and United States activities at the International Telecommunication Union and other multilateral forums.”

The full report can be seen here.