Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 158 (Tuesday, August 19, 2025)]

[Presidential Documents]

[Pages 40219-40221]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 2025-15822]

Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 90 , No. 158 / Tuesday, August 19, 2025 /

Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--

The President

[[Page 40219]]

Executive Order 14335 of August 13, 2025

Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space

Industry

By the authority vested in me as President by the

Constitution and the laws of the United States of

America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. In 1969, the United States landed

the first humans on the Moon. In the years since,

premier space companies from around the world have been

drawn to launch rockets and satellites from the United

States, incentivized by its infrastructure and support

for commercial space activities. Americans are more

prosperous because of the space research and

development occurring here.

It is imperative that we build on the far-reaching

actions taken by my Administration during my first term

to ensure that new space-based industries, space

exploration capabilities, and cutting-edge defense

systems are pioneered in America rather than by our

adversaries. Ensuring that United States operators can

efficiently launch, conduct missions in space, and

reenter United States airspace is critical to economic

growth, national security, and accomplishing Federal

space exploration objectives.

se

systems are pioneered in America rather than by our

adversaries. Ensuring that United States operators can

efficiently launch, conduct missions in space, and

reenter United States airspace is critical to economic

growth, national security, and accomplishing Federal

space exploration objectives.

Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States

to enhance American greatness in space by enabling a

competitive launch marketplace and substantially

increasing commercial space launch cadence and novel

space activities by 2030. To accomplish this, the

Federal Government will streamline commercial license

and permit approvals for United States-based operators.

Sec. 3. Reforming Regulatory Barriers to Commercial

Launch and Reentry. (a) The Secretary of

Transportation, in consultation with the Chair of the

Council on Environmental Quality, shall, consistent

with applicable law, use all available authorities to

eliminate or expedite the Department of

Transportation's environmental reviews for, and other

obstacles to the granting of, launch and reentry

licenses and permits. Such measures shall include the

exercise of authority by the Secretary of

Transportation under 51 U.S.C

all available authorities to

eliminate or expedite the Department of

Transportation's environmental reviews for, and other

obstacles to the granting of, launch and reentry

licenses and permits. Such measures shall include the

exercise of authority by the Secretary of

Transportation under 51 U.S.C. 50905(b)(2)(C) as

applicable; determining which Department of

Transportation functions are not subject to the

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); and, as

appropriate, establishing categorical exclusions under

NEPA (or relying on existing categorical exclusions)

for launch and reentry licenses and permits within

certain parameters.

(b) The Secretary of Transportation shall

reevaluate, amend, or rescind, as appropriate and

consistent with applicable law, the regulations at Part

450 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. The

Secretary's evaluation, amendment, or rescission shall

specifically address:

(i) what regulatory requirements should be inapplicable for a launch or

reentry vehicle that possesses a flight termination system or automated

flight safety system;

(ii) what regulatory requirements should be inapplicable or waived for

hybrid launch or reentry vehicles that hold valid Federal Aviation

Administration airworthiness certificates;

(iii) whether to expand the conditions that demonstrate reliability for a

reentry vehicle, sufficient to protect against a high-consequence event on

reentry; and

(iv) whether other existing requirements are too attenuated to a vehicle's

actual launch or reentry to warrant retention in Part 450.

[[Page 40220]]

hicles that hold valid Federal Aviation

Administration airworthiness certificates;

(iii) whether to expand the conditions that demonstrate reliability for a

reentry vehicle, sufficient to protect against a high-consequence event on

reentry; and

(iv) whether other existing requirements are too attenuated to a vehicle's

actual launch or reentry to warrant retention in Part 450.

[[Page 40220]]

(c) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the

Secretary of Transportation shall report to the

Assistant to the President for Economic Policy a

description of the actions that have been or will be

taken pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.

Sec. 4. Reforming Regulatory Barriers to Next

Generation Spaceport Infrastructure. (a) The Secretary

of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of

Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the

Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA), shall, within 180 days of the

date of this order, conduct an evaluation of relevant

States' compliance under the Coastal Zone Management

Act pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 1458, the effect of any lack

of compliance on the development of spaceport

infrastructure, and whether State approvals under that

Act should be revoked. The Secretary of Defense, the

Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation,

and the Administrator of NASA shall also notify the

Department of Justice of any State or local limitations

on spaceport development on Federal lands that may be

inconsistent with Federal law.

Act should be revoked. The Secretary of Defense, the

Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation,

and the Administrator of NASA shall also notify the

Department of Justice of any State or local limitations

on spaceport development on Federal lands that may be

inconsistent with Federal law.

(b) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the

Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation,

and the Administrator of NASA shall execute a

memorandum of understanding that aligns review

processes for spaceport development across agencies,

eliminates those that are duplicative, and preserves

required Federal space-exploration and National

Security Space Launch capacity.

(c) The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the

Interior, the Secretary of Transportation, and the

Administrator of NASA shall, consistent with applicable

law, use all available authorities to expedite their

respective environmental and administrative reviews for

authorizations, permits, approval, real property

leases, and any other activity relevant to spaceport

infrastructure development. The Chair of the Council on

Environmental Quality shall coordinate with relevant

executive departments and agencies (agencies) on the

establishment of new categorical exclusions under NEPA

for actions related to spaceport development that

normally do not have a significant effect on the

quality of the human environment

il on

Environmental Quality shall coordinate with relevant

executive departments and agencies (agencies) on the

establishment of new categorical exclusions under NEPA

for actions related to spaceport development that

normally do not have a significant effect on the

quality of the human environment. Agencies shall, for

purposes of establishing these categorical exclusions,

rely on any sufficient basis to do so as each such

agency determines.

(d) The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of

Transportation, and the Administrator of NASA shall,

mindful of the significant national security

imperatives inherent in commercial space advancement,

consider for all spaceport development projects whether

to submit an application to the Endangered Species

Committee pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 1536(e).

Sec. 5. Reforming Novel Space Activity Authorization.

Within 150 days of the date of this order, the

Secretary of Commerce shall propose a process for

individualized mission authorizations for activities

that are covered by Article VI of the Outer Space

Treaty of 1967, but not clearly or straightforwardly

governed by existing regulatory frameworks, with the

goal of expediting and streamlining authorizations to

enable American space competitiveness and superiority.

This proposal must solicit and consider affected

agencies' feedback on the authorization process,

contain a definitive timeline for the grant or denial

of authorization for proposed activities, and include

clear and consistent requirements for applicants

enable American space competitiveness and superiority.

This proposal must solicit and consider affected

agencies' feedback on the authorization process,

contain a definitive timeline for the grant or denial

of authorization for proposed activities, and include

clear and consistent requirements for applicants. The

Secretary of Commerce shall transmit the proposal to

the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the

Assistant to the President for National Security

Affairs, and the Assistant to the President for Science

and Technology. Nothing in this section shall be

construed to apply to human spaceflight.

Sec. 6. Reforming Regulatory Leadership and

Accountability. (a) Within 60 days of the date of this

order, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish

a position in the Office of the Secretary with the

responsibility of advising the Secretary of

Transportation on fostering innovation and deregulation

in the commercial space transportation industry. The

Secretary of Transportation shall further direct the

Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to

take all necessary steps to appoint a senior executive

[[Page 40221]]

noncareer employee to be the Associate Administrator

for Commercial Space Transportation.

commercial space transportation industry. The

Secretary of Transportation shall further direct the

Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to

take all necessary steps to appoint a senior executive

[[Page 40221]]

noncareer employee to be the Associate Administrator

for Commercial Space Transportation.

(b) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the

Secretary of Commerce shall elevate the Office of Space

Commerce into the Office of the Secretary.

Sec. 7. Administrative Note. Where applicable, the

functions assigned to the Secretary of Transportation

in sections 1 through 5 of this order shall be carried

out by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation

Administration under the direction of the Secretary of

Transportation.

Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order

shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or

the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with

applicable law and subject to the availability of

appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,

create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,

enforceable at law or in equity by any party against

the United States, its departments, agencies, or

entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any

other person.

appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,

create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,

enforceable at law or in equity by any party against

the United States, its departments, agencies, or

entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any

other person.

(d) The costs for publication of this order shall

be borne by the Department of Transportation.

(Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

August 13, 2025.

[FR Doc. 2025-15822

Filed 8-18-25; 8:45 am]

Billing code 4910-9X-P