FAA creating new committee to update launch regulations

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"The FAA is seeking to update the licensing rule to foster more clarity, flexibility, efficiency and innovation."

a black and white rocket launches into a cloudy blue sky
A Falcon 9 rocket launches SpaceX's Crew-9 astronaut mission to the International Space Station on Sept. 28, 2024. (Image credit: SpaceX)

U.S. launch regulations could soon get an overhaul.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today (Nov. 14) that it's creating a new committee to review and update its "Part 450" launch and reentry licensing rule.

"The FAA is seeking to update the licensing rule to foster more clarity, flexibility, efficiency and innovation," Kelvin Coleman, the FAA's associate administrator for commercial space transportation, said in a statement today. "Making timely licensing determinations without compromising public safety is a top priority."

Part 450 was implemented in March 2021 to help streamline the licensing process, according to today's statement. But the agency believes more such work is needed, given the ever-increasing cadence of private launches from American soil.

Related: The latest news about private spaceflight

The FAA licensed 148 "commercial space operations" in fiscal year 2024, which ran from Oct. 1, 2023 through Sept. 30 of this year. That was a 30% increase from FY 2023, and the agency thinks the number could more than double by FY 2028, according to the statement.

Most of the action is driven by SpaceX. The company has already launched more than 100 orbital missions this calendar year, most of them dedicated to building out its Starlink broadband megaconstellation in low Earth orbit.

Elon Musk has frequently complained about the FAA and regulations in general, claiming that the current system stifles the American launch industry. The billionaire SpaceX founder and CEO may now be in a position to relax launch rules; President-elect Donald Trump just appointed him to co-lead the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE), a new organization that aims to "dismantle government bureaucracy" and "slash excess regulations."

But today's FAA news is not a reaction to Trump's election or the establishment of DOGE; according to SpaceNews' Jeff Foust, the new committee "has been planned for months."

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— Trump appoints SpaceX's Elon Musk to help head regulation-slashing 'Department of Government Efficiency'

The new rulemaking committee will consist of people from the space industry and academia, according to today's FAA statement. The group will outline recommended changes to Part 450 in a report that's expected to be submitted by late summer 2025.

"The FAA is committed to enabling the success of the U.S. commercial space transportation industry, ensuring the U.S. remains the preeminent commercial space country of choice and maintaining the industry’s strong safety record," FAA officials wrote in today's statement. "Reaching a license approval in a timely and efficient manner is central to achieving these outcomes and requires a partnership between the FAA and the industry."

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Mike Wall
Mike Wall
Senior Space Writer

Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.

2 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Unclear Engineer
    I read that the FAA has had this "in the works" since before the Presidential election.

    But, it would have helped if they had at least announced it before the election.

    Now, they have the prospect of being subjected to governmental direction by the person from industry with whom they have been arguing about their lack of timeliness and excessive bureaucracy.

    Realistically, I don't thing an advisory board can complete the task before the Administration changes.
    Reply
  • fj.torres
    Unclear Engineer said:
    I read that the FAA has had this "in the works" since before the Presidential election.

    But, it would have helped if they had at least announced it before the election.

    Now, they have the prospect of being subjected to governmental direction by the person from industry with whom they have been arguing about their lack of timeliness and excessive bureaucracy.

    Realistically, I don't thing an advisory board can complete the task before the Administration changes.
    Even if they do, it won't do them any good. The FAA is in line to lose its space launch/reentry regulation authority.

    Odds are that responsibility will be transferred to the Space National Guard.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_National_Guard
    Probably with co-located offices at launch sites and tasked with security as well as interfacing with Space Command, ATC , and Coast Guard if relevant. And doing Incident investigations themselves, instead of relying on the for profit companies. Despite the name, their duties should more closely parallel the Coast Guard.

    It's pretty clear that FAA has neither the competence nor the inclination to be unbiased monitors of the nation's access to space. As proven by their wacky requests of SpaceX ("kidnapping" seals? Donating to environmental activist orgs?)

    Might as well turn it over to the military, just like ports and coasts are the province of the coast guard. And with launches well on the way to hundreds a year from a half dozen companies and sites, the FAA culture is not a match.
    Reply