The order directs multiple agencies, including the Departments of Transportation, Commerce, Defence and NASA to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks that slow commercial launches, re-entries and the construction of new spaceports. It also mandates faster licensing for “novel” space activities not clearly covered by existing laws, such as emerging in-orbit servicing, debris removal and private space stations.
At its core, the policy seeks to make the US the most attractive place in the world to launch and operate space missions. By 2030, the administration wants a “substantially” higher tempo of commercial launches, alongside a broader range of space activities, under a “competitive launch marketplace”.
The move comes amid intensifying global competition. Countries such as China, India and members of the European Union are ramping up both state-led and private space efforts, while regulatory delays in the US have been a persistent complaint from the commercial sector.
Key measures in the order include:
- Environmental review reforms – allowing certain launch and re-entry licences to bypass lengthy National Environmental Policy Act processes through categorical exclusions, cutting approval times from months or years to weeks.
- Regulatory overhaul – amending Federal Aviation Administration rules to exempt some vehicles with advanced safety systems from burdensome requirements.
- Spaceport acceleration – aligning federal agency reviews, limiting state or local restrictions and streamlining permits for new launch sites.
- Novel mission authorisation – creating a single, time-bound process to approve space activities not covered under current frameworks but governed by the Outer Space Treaty.
- Leadership upgrades – elevating the Office of Space Commerce and appointing senior executives dedicated to commercial space innovation and deregulation.
The White House framed the reforms as essential for both economic growth and national security, ensuring that “new space-based industries, space exploration capabilities and cutting-edge defence systems are pioneered in America rather than by our adversaries”.
If implemented effectively, analysts say the changes could lower costs, speed up innovation and open the door for more start-ups and smaller companies to compete with established aerospace giants, potentially reshaping the US$546 billion (AU$833.2 billion) global space economy.