On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at significantly streamlining the federal regulatory process for commercial rocket launches in the United States. The goal is to expedite launches and space infrastructure development, further solidifying the country’s leading position in the global commercial space sector.
Since the moon landing in 1969, the United States has attracted top global companies to launch rockets and satellites in the country, thanks to its robust infrastructure and support for commercial space activities. President Trump emphasized the importance of American operators being able to efficiently launch, conduct missions in space, and safely re-enter the atmosphere, which is crucial for the country’s technological competitiveness and defense capabilities.
He pledged to significantly increase commercial launch frequency and the scale of new space activities by 2030. By streamlining the licensing process, the aim is to create the world’s most competitive aerospace market. The White House statement highlighted how the commercial space industry drives economic growth, advanced technology development, and supports federal space exploration goals.
The executive order requires the Secretary of Transportation and the Chairman of the Environmental Quality Commission to collaborate and utilize existing legal powers to expedite environmental reviews and permit processes for commercial launches and re-entry procedures.
The Department of Transportation will review Part 450 of the Code of Federal Regulations, eliminating unnecessary provisions and relaxing regulations for launch vehicles equipped with flight termination systems, hybrid aircraft with FAA airworthiness certificates, and reliability requirements for re-entering Earth’s atmosphere.
The Department of Commerce will work with the Department of Defense, Department of Transportation, and NASA to assess compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act in states, evaluating their impact on spaceport construction. States regulations hindering spaceport development on federal land will be reported to the Department of Justice.
Furthermore, the Department of Defense, Department of Transportation, and NASA are tasked with streamlining review processes, eliminating duplicative procedures, expediting approvals, leases, and environmental assessments in compliance with the law, and establishing new categorical exclusions if necessary.
Additionally, the Department of Commerce must propose within 150 days an authorization process for “novel missions” under the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 that are currently not clearly managed by existing regulations, ensuring that the U.S. maintains a competitive edge in emerging space industries.
The executive order mandates the Department of Transportation to establish a dedicated office within 60 days to promote innovation and deregulation in commercial space transportation, with a senior FAA official serving as Deputy Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation. The Department of Commerce is required to elevate the Office of Space Commerce to report directly to the Secretary.
During his first term, President Trump established the Space Force and signed multiple space policy directives including returning to the moon, reforming the commercial space regulatory framework, and establishing space system cybersecurity principles. In 2020, the U.S. saw its first manned mission to orbit conducted by a commercial company on behalf of NASA. He also promised to send astronauts to Mars in his second term.
This executive order aligns with Trump’s initiatives in energy, environment, and business deregulation, aiming to ensure that the United States remains “great again” in space exploration and commercial applications by simplifying rules and expediting approvals.