Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Announces Five Actions to Accelerate Commercial Space Licensing

Proposed rules represent the USDOT SPACE Task Force’s first pillar to cut red tape & supercharge American space dominance

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing five rules to streamline and modernize the commercial space launch and reentry regulations. The rules were developed in concert with the recently launched the USDOT Space Policy Administration, Coordination, and Execution (SPACE) Task Force.

Key changes to the Part 450 commercial space licensing process include:

• Allowing operators to submit launch applications electronically
• Providing greater flexibility to demonstrate an equivalent level of safety
• Combining three required safety analyses into a single submission
• Eliminating duplicative safety analyses when a safety requirement is already addressed through other approved methods.

What we’re doing: The proposed rules would make the Part 450 licensing process more efficient, less burdensome, and more flexible for operators while maintaining the FAA’s safety standards.

Why it matters: Simplifying these critical rules will ensure American space operators can continue leading the world in commercial launch growth while maintaining the FAA’s highest safety standards. These actions also support President Trump’s space policy goals in his Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry Executive Order and National Space Transportation Policy to enhance American greatness in space by enabling a competitive launch marketplace and substantially increasing commercial space launch cadence to 1,000 per year by 2030.  

“We can’t unlock the final frontier if we let red tape hold American innovators back from leading the way,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “By making simple, common-sense changes to modernize the commercial licensing processes, we can strengthen the United States’ position as a powerhouse for commercial space transportation while maintaining the highest safety standards in the world.”

“The SPACE Task Force is moving quickly to execute on President Trump’s vision to achieve America’s continued superiority in space,” said U.S. Under Secretary for Transportation Ryan McCormack. “The commercial space industry is moving at lightning speed, and our regulations need to keep pace. I’m proud of the work the Task Force has already done to hit the ground running and create the conditions that will revolutionize America’s commercial space industry.”

“These proposed rules are just the beginning of the FAA’s effort to reduce unnecessary burdens on the U.S. commercial space industry,” said Acting Deputy FAA Administrator Liam McKenna. “These changes will give operators greater flexibility and make the licensing process more efficient, while ensuring the safety of the National Airspace System remains our top priority.”

Reminder:

The U.S. was responsible for 217 of the 329 commercial space launches worldwide in 2025 and we expect to see that number will soar to 10,000 FAA-licensed launches and reentries a year by 2035.

Additional Information:

The five proposed rules are:

• Streamlining Flight Safety Analysis Methodology Means of Compliance NPRM
• Simplifying Physical Containment Requirements NPRM
• Lightning Hazard Mitigation Burden-Reducing Exception NPRM
• Digital Modernization for Licensing Electronic Application Submissions NPRM
• Overpressure Blast Effects Analysis Burden Reducing Clarification NPRM

The public comment period for each proposed rule closes on November 4, 2026.

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