WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that the Federal Aviation Administration is proposing five rules to streamline and modernize the commercial space launch and reentry regulations. The rules were developed in concert with the recently launched the USDOT Space Policy Administration, Coordination, and Execution (SPACE) Task Force.
Key changes to the Part 450 commercial space licensing process include allowing operators to submit launch applications electronically, providing greater flexibility to demonstrate an equivalent level of safety, combining three required safety analyses into a single submission, and eliminating duplicative safety analyses when a safety requirement is already addressed through other approved methods.
The proposed rules would make the Part 450 licensing process more efficient, less burdensome, and more flexible for operators while maintaining the FAA's safety standards.
Simplifying these critical rules will ensure American space operators can continue leading the world in commercial launch growth while maintaining the FAA's highest safety standards, according to the Department of Transportation. These actions also support President Donald Trump's space policy goals in his Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry Executive Order and National Space Transportation Policy to enhance American dominance in space by enabling a competitive launch marketplace and substantially increasing commercial space launch cadence to 1,000 per year by 2030.
'We can't unlock the final frontier if we let red tape hold American innovators back from leading the way,' said Secretary Duffy. 'By making simple, common-sense changes to modernize the commercial licensing processes, we can strengthen the United States' position as a powerhouse for commercial space transportation while maintaining the highest safety standards in the world.'
'The SPACE Task Force is moving quickly to execute on President Trump's vision to achieve America's continued superiority in space,' said Under Secretary for Transportation Ryan McCormack. 'The commercial space industry is moving at lightning speed, and our regulations need to keep pace.'
The United States was responsible for 217 of the 329 commercial space launches carried out worldwide in 2025 and the Transportation Department says it expects to see that number soar to 10,000 FAA-licensed launches and reentries a year by 2035.
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