Congressional Testimony: Launching into the State of the Satellite Marketplace

The following testimony was presented to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology on February 2, 2023. Below is a short excerpt of Kari Bingen’s Testimony.

“Chairwoman McMorris Rodgers, Ranking Member Pallone, Subcommittee Chairman Latta, Ranking Member Matsui, and distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss space technology trends, the state of foreign competition in space and its security implications, and ideas for maintaining U.S. leadership in space. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) does not take policy positions, so the views represented in this testimony are my own and not those of my employer. I have the privilege of leading the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where I examine these issues largely through a national security lens, drawing from my experiences working at a U.S. space technology startup, serving in the Department of Defense (DoD) guiding defense intelligence and security activities, and supporting the House Armed Services Committee.”

“Whether we realize it or not, space underpins many important technologies and services that we as Americans use in our daily lives and on which our safety and national security depend: from navigation applications in smartphones and financial transactions that rely on Global Positioning System (GPS) and communications satellites, to understanding changes in the environment such as weather forecasting and monitoring soil conditions for crop management.

The United States has long benefited—technologically, economically, societally, militarily, and diplomatically—from its dominance in space. But that advantage is eroding. The United States must take steps now—with urgency and purpose—to maintain that leadership before we are outmatched in space. We have a flourishing commercial space sector brimming with new technologies, innovative solutions, and talented entrepreneurs. The government’s actions in domestic and export regulatory reforms, its strong investment in and use of commercial space capabilities, and its leadership role in international fora, are all necessary to ensure this sector remains an American source of strength and a competitive advantage.”