It's believed that ULA has enough RD-180s to continue to launch Atlas V's for the next two years, however if it is to continue to do so in the long-term it would need to develop a replacement engine, which Marco Caceres, director of Space Studies at the Teal Corporation, a US research agency, tells IBTimes UK could cost the military up to $1bn. "The real winner in all of this is SpaceX," says Caceres, who explains that the US airforce will now be encouraged to look at alternative options to the Atlas V, including SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. He continues: "From a business standpoint it's a silly move as they make money from the sale of the engine. On the other hand, from a pride standpoint, it doesn't surprise me that Putin would stop selling the engine altogether, in a way saying to the US: 'see how you like that'."

Created in 1944, Montreal-based ICAO coordinates between the 191 states that have signed the Chicago Convention, the main treaty that governs civil aviation. The organisation sets binding standards, and prefers to find a consensus among member countries, which is time-consuming. "The real issue is who is in charge of mandating better tracking," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at Teal Group, in Fairfax, Virginia. "If it is the industry, they will have to bear all the uncertainty about technical change, negotiations with pilots and so on. It is not just about nickel and diming in safety, there is real uncertainty."

High resolution is useful for military and government purposes, but some experts question how much resolution actually is needed. "If you are going to have the most powerful imaging satellite out there, whether that would be a good thing for your company, I think, really depends on what your target market is and what services you are looking to fill," Teal Group space analyst Marco Cáceres said. "Not everyone needs 30-centimeter resolution. That's more of a surveillance capability. ... (Tarr) must be saying that they have certain clients that need that."

While the FAA is facing criticism for ongoing delays, it is a daunting task that takes time, said Phil Finnegan, director of corporate analysis at The Teal Group, a Fairfax, Virginia-based defense and aerospace market analysis firm. “It’s a difficult issue. The FAA is concerned about safety in the airspace, so they are going to go slowly and maybe err on the side of caution,” Finnegan said. “But they need to be assured that this is a safe process. There are a lot of complexities with the technology, and so they are doing a very thorough job. It’s just not easy.” The most that can be hoped for by September 2015 is a plan that will outline gradual steps toward an open airspace, Finnegan said.

“The problem both CBP and the Coast Guard have is that they both have very tight budgets,” said Phil Finnegan, director of corporate analysis for the Teal Group. He notes that CBP already flies MQ-9s along the border and may not want to “downgrade” its small fleet of unmanned systems. As is, CBP has come under fire from watchdog groups for the cost of its MQ-9 program. The Coast Guard might be a better bet, Finnegan said. The service has sought unmanned capability for years, including a failed attempt at developing its own specialized platform known as the Eagle Eye, and has a standing interest in land-based UAVs. Taking the older Predators from the Air Force may be a cheap option.