Overview

• President Trump signed an Executive Order to streamline commercial space regulations and set a goal of substantially increasing U.S. launch cadence and novel space activities by 2030.
• The order directs the Transportation Department and Council on Environmental Quality to cut or fast-track NEPA environmental reviews for launch and reentry and mandates a 120-day report on updating FAA’s Part 450 technical rules.
• Within 60 days, the Transportation Department must create a commercial space innovation adviser, the FAA must appoint an Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation and Commerce must elevate its Office of Space Commerce.
• Commerce is required within 150 days to propose a streamlined authorization process for novel space missions under Article VI of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
• Commerce, Defense, Transportation and NASA have 180 days to review state coastal permitting under the Coastal Zone Management Act, consider revoking approvals that hinder new spaceports and finalize an interagency memorandum of understanding to align review processes.