you find out that your aunt works for a defense manufactuing compnay that has several defense contracts with the government. she tells you that she works for a team that is producing a communications satellite. what kind of good is that; individual, merit, or public good????????

To determine whether a communications satellite is considered an individual good, a merit good, or a public good, we need to understand the characteristics of each type.

1. Individual Good: An individual good is a product or service that is consumed exclusively by an individual or a group of individuals. It is typically privately owned and its consumption is limited to those who have ownership or purchase it.

2. Merit Good: A merit good is a product or service that is deemed to have societal benefits or positive externalities. These goods are often provided or subsidized by the government to ensure their availability to the public, even if individuals may not be willing or able to pay for them.

3. Public Good: A public good is a good that is non-excludable and non-rivalrous. Non-excludability means that individuals cannot be effectively excluded from using the good once it is provided, and non-rivalry means that one person's use of the good does not diminish its availability to others.

Given the information provided, a communications satellite produced by a defense manufacturing company working on government contracts is most likely a public good. Communications satellites are typically used to provide widespread access to telecommunications services, broadcasting, and internet connectivity, which aligns with the characteristics of a public good. Once the satellite is launched and operational, it can be accessed by individuals and organizations globally without diminishing its availability for others.

It is important to note that while the satellite may be categorized as a public good, the production and ownership of the satellite may involve private entities such as the defense manufacturing company and the government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_good