It may be that our national space exploration program will also result
in stronger economic alliances, not only within our own national borders
but on an international basis. Interesting speculation to this effect
has been advanced by a prominent official of the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration:
I think we may expect that the combined influence of jet aircraft
and satellite communications systems will enable us to integrate
the now somewhat distant States of Hawaii and Alaska with the rest
of the States as thoroughly as the East and West are already
integrated. Second, and in many ways a more intriguing possibility,
is the prospect of developing a truly international economic
organization. It is quite apparent that even today a large fraction
of the economy of the United States is dependent upon foreign
trade. Some nations of the world, such as England or Japan, are
almost entirely dependent upon foreign trade for their basic
standard of living; however, current foreign trade practices are
necessarily based on a somewhat leisurely pattern enforced by our
current communications capacity. Whether we will be able to
increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our activities in
foreign trade through the use of the new communications facilities
now foreseen will of course depend upon our political ability to
work out viable arrangements for our mutual benefit with our
oversea friends.
One of the lessons of history in the fields of communications is
that an increase in capability has never gone unused. The
capability of doing new things has always resulted in it being
found profitable to use this capability in all fields, both
commercial and governmental.[42]