The US government considers a strong commercial space industry a vital partner in building robust space and defense capabilities. As competition with China intensifies, experts suggest the US must take crucial steps to maintain its lead.
Rebekah Reed emphasizes the need for cryogenic propellant transfer capabilities, an area where China has already made significant progress. The US should apply a model similar to NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services to develop deep-space fuel depot infrastructure.
Kari A. Bingen notes that US space companies are the world's benchmark, but this lead is not guaranteed. China's commercial space sector is expanding rapidly, with launch startups and satellite imagery firms positioning themselves to capture more global market share.
