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In Space, What Makes A Good Neighbor?

by Marion C. Blakey, AIA President & CEO
Originally appeared in Space News, November 10, 2010

Robert Frost’s 1914 poem “Mending Wall” follows the discussion of two neighbors about the rebuilding of a fence between their properties — carrying on an age-old conversation about terrestrial boundaries. The often cited line in the poem, “Good fences make good neighbors,” shows one neighbor’s perspective that boundaries can be healthy for both while the other neighbor questions the need for boundaries altogether.

The U.S. National Space Policy released this year takes an approach that would have satisfied both neighbors in Frost’s poem — advancing the importance of international cooperation while also maintaining a commitment to U.S. national security and industry health. As we cooperate in space, there is certainly a critical need to find the right balance between international cooperation and the maintenance of our country’s security and healthy space industry. Failure to find and proactively shepherd that balance could have devastating consequences for the U.S. space industry and our lead role as a spacefaring nation.

Read more at Space News.