The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday edition that SpaceX is competing to acquire the radio spectrum for wireless signals. A New York Times dispatch to The Globe reports that radio spectrum cannot be owned, but its value has led to competition among companies and governments for control. In the United States, licences to use specific spectrum bands serve as pseudo property rights. The Federal Communications Commission allows them to be bought, sold and leased, and it renews them almost automatically, absent misconduct. There is a race to acquire satellite spectrum managed by the International Telecommunication Union. The federal government applies for licences on behalf of U.S. companies under a first-come, first-served system. Later entrants can use the same frequencies but must coordinate with incumbents to avoid interference. This system has benefited SpaceX and other early American filers. Many around the world oppose the current status quo, viewing airwaves as a shared resource requiring international oversight. While this might seem idealistic, it serves as a defence against dominant players like SpaceX. The Trump administration favours treating space more as private property than as shared inheritance.