Trump wants to clean up the space industry’s red tape: Here’s who wins

During a press conference in late 2021, President Donald Trump promised to “slash a large number of job-killing rules” in his second term and promised to eradicate 10 old rules for each new.

Now he is bringing that control drive to a commercial place, ordering federal agencies to launch licensing, facilitate the development of fast-track spaceport and clean the Federal Aviation Administration Board.

“The processes of inefficient permission discouraged investment and innovation, limited the ability to lead the global space market of US companies,” he said An executive order Signed Aug 13.

The order indicates the Department of Transport (DOT) “Old, unnecessary, or overly limited” rules that conduct the launch and re -sales license. It also instructs the Federal Aviation Administration for the appointment of a “senior executive” accused of eliminating or accelerating environmental reviews, ease the way to create new spaceports and encouraging “innovation and controlling”.

The Commerce Department has been ordered to stand for a new process for the approval of space manufacturing or satellite refuge, such as “Fancy Place Activities”, which does not fit in the existing licensing system.

Executive order came on the same day transport secretary and acting NASA administrator Shan Doff Dismiss each member The Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (CMSTAC), a long-standing industrial advisory board inside the dot, which shapes spaceflight rules and priorities.

For those who have spent years involved in environmental reviews and licensing delay, the order was a welcome sign that the future bids of the future would experience short periods and more regulatory transparency experience. Commercial Space Federation, an industrial trade group whose members include SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab and one dozen others, “Praising the executive order for providing regulatory relief to publish US commercial space industry.”

In fact, commercial players are ready to achieve a lot under this new regime. Launch companies may benefit by faster permission and environmental reviews. State-backed Spaceport operators Space FloridaThe provisions that accelerate the development of the new site can also be assisted.

“Novels” to create a mission approval structure for space activities equally result: Startups Like Varda Space Industries Or Orbit Fab, which is developing technology to create pharmaceuticals in space, respectively, and in-orbit refueling can gain a benefit through a regulatory approach conducted by trade respectively.

Environmental rules sticking points

Not everyone is celebrating the order. An environmental team, which challenges the FAA approval of the SpaceX Starship Program in Texas, has called the Order “reckless”.

“Federal agencies are incredibly dangerous to the knee in powerful corporations by allowing Federal agencies to ignore environmental laws and put all of us in the path of damage. It is definitely not in the public interest” Senior Attorney Jered Margolis said.

For groups like CBD, environmental reviews are not “too complicated”, as the order is charged – they are often completely inadequate. In 2023, Environmental groups including CBD complained Environmental evaluation of FAA in SpaceX’s southern Texas plans was insufficient and violated the National Environmental Policy Act.

SpaceX has been driven individually A growing public campaign “Excessive” regulations and against environmental analysis that prevents the promotion of a quick test.

There is still something unknown. The legal challenges for the order can slow down the progress and the new Commstack members, who have not yet been appointed, will inform the future of space rules.