President Trump issued a new space transportation policy that places national and economic security at the forefront of the industry.
“Access to, from, and within space is a vital national and economic security interest. American space transportation capabilities underpin the global economy, and commercial space innovation flourishes with affordable, reliable, and safe space transportation,” the proclamation reads. “The United States must establish and maintain space transportation capabilities that ensure access to the full range of orbital regimes relevant to United States interests, from suborbital and very-low Earth orbit altitudes to the lunar surface, Lagrange points, and deep space.”
The memo notes that by 2030, the nation is to support “more than 1,000 launches and reentries every year” as to exemplify its “continued superiority in space.”
Trump’s proclamation goes on to direct agencies to develop launch and reentry infrastructure, expedite permitting processes, and assess potential locations for site facilities.
The development comes as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is launching a new effort to streamline commercial space licensing, allowing innovation to hit the industry with greater ease.
According to a proposed rule, the FAA would have the ability to “waive requirements of laws of the U.S. for a license or permit, after consultation with the head of the appropriate executive agency, when the requirement is not necessary to protect the public health and safety, safety of property, and national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.” The licenses and permits affect launch sites, operations for a reentry site, experimental permits, and launch or reentry vehicles, the proposed rule explains.
