Congress is weighing potential reductions to the National Reconnaissance Office's budget for acquiring commercial satellite imagery—a move that could set the U.S. remote sensing industry back significantly and provide China with an advantage in the influence domain and on the battlefield.

The stakes extend far beyond any single contract. China is rapidly building out its commercial satellite imagery industry and aggressively seeking new clients. And though European countries are unlikely to become reliant on Chinese imagery, the same cannot be said for governments in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. If China can offer comparable imagery at lower cost, Chinese companies will gain more customers—and accelerate innovation at a pace that U.S. firms may struggle to match.

That could leave U.S

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