A step forward in space export control reform

A decade ago, the commercial space industry in the United States celebrated a hard-fought victory in efforts to reform export controls. After years of effort, the State Department enacted changes to move many space technologies off the U.S. Munitions List (USML), subject to the more restrictive export control rules known as International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to the less-restrictive Commerce Control List. That made it easier for American companies to see those technologies, from components to full satellites, to foreign customers (see “Export control reform (almost) reaches the finish line”, The Space Review, May 27, 2014.)