Trump Signs Commercial Space Competitiveness EO
Will Enable a Competitive Launch Marketplace, Increase Launch Cadence
President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an Executive Order (EO) titled “Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry” that will enable a competitive launch marketplace and substantially increase commercial space launch cadence and novel space activities by 2030.
“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.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
According to the text of the EO, the commercial space industry drives economic growth, supports cutting-edge technology, and advances Federal space exploration objectives. Inefficient permitting processes discourage investment and innovation, limiting the ability of U.S. companies to lead in global space markets. Meanwhile, overly complex environmental and other licensing and permitting regulations slow down commercial space launches and infrastructure development, and benefit entrenched incumbents who can afford to bear the expense of regulatory compliance over new market entrants who may not have that ability.
The missions affected are not just human space flights; this regulatory regime hampers satellites, aerospace and defense technology development, and manufacturing and production activities conducted in space, and discourages the development of other space-based industries, according to the administration, meaning the United States risks losing its competitive edge in these industries, and the benefits of technologies developed in connection with them, if regulatory barriers prevent rapid innovation and expansion in the space sector.
NASA says the EO will help to:
Streamline commercial license and permit approvals for United States-based operators. This includes eliminating regulatory barriers and expediting environmental reviews for commercial launches and reentries.
Cut unnecessary red tape to make it easier to build new spaceports in the U.S. where more commercial space operations will be launched from. To ensure this Next Generation Spaceport Infrastructure, duplicate review process will be eliminated, and environmental reviews will be expedited.
Promote new space activities like in-space manufacturing and orbital refueling through a streamlined framework. Expediting and streamlining authorization for this Novel Space Activity is essential to American space competitiveness and superiority.
Establish a new position in the Office of the Secretary with the responsibility of advising the Secretary of Transportation on fostering innovation and deregulation in the commercial space industry.
The FAA’s associate administrator for Commercial Space Transportation also will be a senior executive non-career employee, and the Office of Space Commerce will be elevated into the Office of the Commerce Secretary.
Mitigate the risk of the United States losing its competitive edge in the commercial space industry by dismantling regulatory barriers that prevent rapid innovation and expansion.
“People think the Department of Transportation is just planes, trains, and automobiles – but we have a critical role to play in unlocking the final frontier. 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,” said Transportation Secretary and Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, who attended the signing ceremony. “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.”
“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.”
“CSF applauds President Trump and the leaders across the Federal Government for taking bold action to prioritize space," said Commercial Space Federation president Dave Cavossa. "Building upon the work of his first administration, today’s executive order reorganizes key aspects of the FAA and Department of Commerce and provides regulatory relief to unleash the U.S. commercial space industry. With these actions, it is clear that President Trump is serious about maintaining U.S. dominance in space in the face of growing international competition, especially from China."