On the heels of the executive orders aimed at supporting the US drone industry, the federal government has issued an executive order to boost the country’s space interests by 2030.
The Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry executive order is intended to streamline commercial licence and permit approvals for United States-based operators, including eliminating regulatory barriers. It also aims to cut unnecessary red tape to make it easier to build new spaceports in the US where more commercial space operations will be launched. New space activities like in-space manufacturing and orbital refueling through a streamlined framework will also be promoted.
A new position will be created in the Office of the Secretary with the responsibility of advising the Secretary of Transportation on fostering innovation and deregulation in the commercial space industry. The Federal Aviation Administration’s Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation will also be a senior executive non-career employee, and the Office of Space Commerce will be elevated into the Office of the Commerce Secretary.
For more information
Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry factsheet
Image: A TPG-18 radar is positioned at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, Aug. 5, 2025. (Photo by Airman 1st Class Olya Houtsma)
