Abstract : U.S. space domination is far from guaranteed as the number of space-faring nations increases. The U.S. space industry remains a critical element in providing capabilities essential to national security and economic prosperity. The ability to access space for communications, monitoring, research, and exploration is vital. To ensure these, U.S. policy should encourage more commercial activity in space, emphasize a more globally cooperative environment, change acquisition methods to emphasize cost control over performance at any cost, and focus government investments on technologies having the greatest impact on the space industry.