Overview

History has shown that leadership in communication carries with it substantial economic and political advantages. Communication is essential in all aspects of life, including business, national affairs, and cultural well-being. Governments have always been involved in the regulation and technology of communication. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the primary agency for communication regulation, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Department of Defense (DOD) programs have been responsible for many space communication technology innovations since the late 1950s.

One topic covered in this book is the proper role of government in sponsoring space communications research. The difficulty in the government s sponsoring of space communications research is that it benefits some companies while putting others at a perceived or real competitive disadvantage. When NASA or DOD develops mission-specific communication technology, much of it becomes very useful in commercial satellite communication. This type of technology development, however, is viewed by the industry as nonintrusive and acceptable.

The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) program had a different objective. Its prime purpose was to develop technology for use in providing commercial communication (not a government-specific mission), and it became embroiled in a continuous controversy over the proper role of government for this purpose. The primary argument in favor of the program was that it was important for the government to ensure the U.S. preeminence in satellite communication and develop the technology for efficient use of the frequency spectrum. The main objections to NASA s sponsorship...