President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order to help streamline regulations and promote competition in the commercial space industry.
Streamlining Launch Licenses
The White House said Wednesday the EO will help streamline commercial license and permit approvals for U.S.-based operators by directing the secretary of Transportation to accelerate environmental reviews for launch and reentry licenses and permits.
The policy also directs the secretary of Transportation to evaluate regulatory requirements to eliminate redundant, outdated or overly restrictive rules for launch and reentry vehicles.
The order mandates the creation of a position within the Department of Transportation to advise on promoting innovation and deregulation in the commercial space industry. The policy also directs the appointment of an associate administrator for commercial space transportation within the Federal Aviation Administration to advance regulatory reform.
“By slashing red tape tying up spaceport construction, streamlining launch licenses so they can occur at scale, and creating high-level space positions in government, we can unleash the next wave of innovation. At NASA, this means continuing to work with commercial space companies and improving our spaceports’ ability to launch,” Sean Duffy, acting NASA administrator, said in a statement.
“Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, we will enable American space competitiveness and superiority for decades to come. I look forward to leveraging my dual role at DOT and NASA to make this dream a reality,” added Duffy, who also serves as transportation secretary.
Advancing Spaceport Development
The new policy directs the secretaries of Defense and Transportation and the NASA administrator to align their review processes to eliminate duplicative regulations and speed up spaceport development.
Under the EO, the secretary of Commerce should work with the secretaries of Defense and Transportation and the head of NASA to assess states’ compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act and whether states are hindering spaceport infrastructure development under CZMA.
The order also promotes in-space manufacturing, orbital refueling and other space activities through a streamlined framework.
“The FAA strongly supports President Trump’s Executive Order to make sure the U.S. leads the growing space economy and continues to lead the world in space transportation and innovation,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “This order safely removes regulatory barriers so that U.S. companies can dominate commercial space activities.”
