In a bold move to elevate America’s role in the global space race, President Donald J. Trump signed a sweeping Executive Order titled “Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry” at the White House this week. The signing ceremony was attended by U.S. Transportation Secretary and Acting NASA Administrator Sean P. Duffy, who emphasized the strategic importance of deregulation and innovation in space infrastructure.
“The Department of Transportation isn’t just about highways and airports anymore—we’re helping unlock the final frontier,” Duffy stated. “By streamlining launch licenses and accelerating spaceport development, we’re laying the groundwork for a new era of American space leadership.”
The Executive Order introduces a series of reforms aimed at boosting commercial space activity by 2030, including:
- 🚀 Simplified Licensing: Faster approvals for U.S.-based launch and reentry operations.
- 🛰️ Next-Gen Spaceports: Removal of bureaucratic hurdles to enable rapid construction of new launch facilities.
- 🧪 Novel Space Activities: Support for emerging sectors like orbital refueling and in-space manufacturing.
- 🏛️ Government Restructuring: Creation of high-level advisory roles within the Department of Transportation and elevation of the Office of Space Commerce.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford echoed support for the initiative, calling it “a decisive step to ensure U.S. dominance in space transportation and innovation.”
With Duffy now steering both DOT and NASA, the administration aims to fuse regulatory reform with technological ambition—positioning the United States as a commercial space powerhouse for decades to come.