The space industry was ecstatic to get a shout-out in President Trump’s first Joint Address to Congress. It appeared to be a signal that his administration was going to prioritize space issues, as it had during Trump’s first term, when significant attention was paid to ensuring the competitiveness of the space industry.

Unfortunately, the ever-evolving tariff regime is set to have the opposite effect. It will raise the cost of making rockets and satellites in the U.S., limit industry access to core inputs and materials and encourage boycotts of American products and services abroad.

To begin with, while the space industry relies primarily on domestic manufacturing, given its current orientation towards government customers, it buys many raw inputs and certain key components from allied nations.

Aluminum and steel, which have been singled out within the tariff regime, are used extensively by the space industry. Increased costs or shortages will........

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