If You Fund It, They Will Come

The U.S. National Space Policy says the government shall use U.S. commercial space capabilities and services to the maximum practical extent, to include purchasing commercial capabilities and services when available and meeting needs.

Regarding communications and followed to a logical extreme, that policy direction means that most and perhaps all space-based military communications should be commercially provided. To meet that need, U.S. Space LLC is trying to get their nose under the tent and provide services that are both responsive and meet military needs. Traditional "exquisite" satellite capabilities--especially for something like comm, which has taken on commodity-like characteristics--won't cut it, and if you don't believe it, take a look at the demise of TSAT in the FY10 President's Budget.

If Boeing, Northrup-Grumman, and Lockheed-Martin are the Infinity, Lexus and BMW of the space industry, U.S. Space appears to be looking to be the Hyundai...domestically produced, of course.