US Tariffs And The Global Space Economy

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, continues to pursue a policy of increased tariffs on imported products. Amidst a developing 'tariff war', pauses, and rapidly changing policies, it is difficult to foresee exactly what values these tariffs will eventually take. At the time of writing, however, China faces tariffs of at least 125%, with other countries facing tariffs of at least 10%.

There's no denying that the US is a leading player in the global space economy: the OECD's Space Economy in Figures 2023 report found that the US was responsible for 36% of space-related patent applications worldwide from 2016-2020. The effects of increasing tariffs on goods imported into the US are therefore likely to ripple through space industries worldwide.