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FAA Moves to Streamline Launch Licenses for Commercial Space Firms

Private companies launched or landed on U.S. soil 148 times in fiscal year 2024, a 30 percent increase year over year.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 05:55 PM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is the launch vehicle of choice for both NASA and the Pentagon. [Courtesy: SpaceX]

Key Takeaways:

Commercial spaceflight in the U.S. reached a record 137 launches and landings in fiscal year 2024, marking a significant increase over the past decade.
The FAA is forming an Aerospace Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to streamline and update its Part 450 launch licensing regulations.
The ARC aims to deliver recommendations by late summer 2025 to foster clarity, flexibility, efficiency, and innovation in the licensing process.
These efforts are in response to industry challenges regarding delays and to accommodate projected growth, with operations potentially nearing 300 annually by FY2028, while prioritizing public safety.

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After a record year for commercial spaceflight, the FAA is taking steps to streamline the process for licensing launches and landings.

According to FAA data, commercial space operators launched from or landed on U.S. soil 137 times during fiscal year 2024—an uptick of 30 percent year over year and 900 percent over the past decade. The agency would like to see that cadence continue to grow and is launching an aerospace rulemaking committee (ARC) to refresh its launch licensing rules.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.