Since the historic launch of the first Landsat satellite in 1972, U.S. government policymakers have struggled to find the right balance between protecting core national security interests and encouraging a competitive commercial imagery industry sector. After nearly three decades, and on the eve of an exciting new era in the satellite imagery industry, the public and private sectors still are seeking a balanced policy that meets the remote sensing industry's need to market products and services globally with minimal regulatory burdens and ensures that national security concerns aren't compromised.