WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has launched the Space Policy Administration, Coordination, and Execution (SPACE) Task Force - an intradepartmental body that will coordinate space policy activities on behalf of the Department. The task force will implement the President's National Space Transportation Policy that include recommendations to expand launch infrastructure, streamline regulation, better integrate the airspace, and coordinate space policy on behalf of USDOT.
'Under President Trump, the U.S. is leading in commercial space innovation. America had 217 of the 329 commercial space launches worldwide in 2025 and we expect that number to soar to 10,000 FAA-licensed launches and reentries yearly by 2035. This SPACE Task Force is going to ensure this next era of space transportation is led by America-not China,' said Secretary Duffy.
The Department's SPACE Task Force will lead and coordinate a unified commercial space transportation strategy. It will focus on strengthening national security, bolstering economic competitiveness, and unleashing innovation to secure the United States' space dominance in the race against China.
The SPACE Task Force, chaired by Under Secretary Ryan McCormack, brings together experts from the Federal Aviation Administration, Office of General Counsel, Office of Research and Technology, Office of Transportation Policy, Office of Multimodal Freight Policy, and Office of Aviation and International Affairs.
In addition to announcing an initiative to develop new space launch routes, Secretary Duffy recently shared three key efforts to supercharge space port construction.
He announced an investment into commercial space facility roadways, and issued a call to the public for ideas on where the U.S. should build new spaceports.
Duffy also launched an initiative to streamline commercial space licensing, making it faster and easier for innovators to secure approvals to launch rockets, reenter spacecraft, and operate launch and reentry sites.
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