regulatory

Op-ed | In defense of regulation
Steve Blank’s op-ed of Feb. 5, “The FAA and SpaceX,” demands an informed rebuttal. It lacks grounding in the history and nature of private space activity regulation and he erroneously conflates that mission with the FAA's primary task of regulating the safest transportation system in human history.

Op-ed | FAA streamlining effort empowers U.S. launch industry
The FAA’s rapid success in creating updated launch and reentry rules reflects its leadership’s measured look at the current regulations and willingness to build on what they have learned from the commercial launch community.

Op-ed | Unleashing America’s commercial space industry
The FAA's recently updated commercial space launch and reentry licensing requirements "will simplify the licensing process, allow more room for innovation, and reduce costs — all without sacrificing safety," writes U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Space industry seeks continued progress on regulatory reform
The commercial space industry hopes to continue recent progress in regulatory reform even if there is a new president or a change in party control in Congress after the election.

FAA publishes streamlined commercial launch regulations
The FAA released Oct. 15 the final version of updated commercial launch and reentry regulations, although those in industry say the regulatory reform process is far from over.

Remote sensing industry welcomes revamped regulations
Satellite imaging companies are embracing long-awaited reforms to commercial remote sensing regulations, although one member of Congress doesn’t think the changes go far enough.

Commerce Department releases streamlined commercial remote sensing regulations
The Commerce Department released long-awaited new commercial remote sensing regulations May 19 that eliminate many of the restrictions previously imposed on such systems.

Space Council says NASA’s exploration programs “on track”
Nearly five months after directing NASA to accelerate its plans to return humans to the surface of the moon, Vice President Mike Pence said Aug. 20 that the agency’s efforts since then were “on track.”

Industry seeks more time to review revised commercial launch regulations
Dissatisfied with the length and content of proposed rules to streamline commercial launch and reentry regulations, industry officials say they will ask for an extension of an ongoing public review period for those rules.

Op-ed | NewSpace must be regulated
Move fast and break things, the mantra of Silicon Valley startups, has now spread to the space sector with Swarm Technologies going as far as breaking the law.

Congress includes space provisions in FAA bill as industry seeks action on other regulatory issues
With Congress set to approve a Federal Aviation Administration bill with some commercial space provisions, those in the industry are hoping for action on other bills before the end of this year.

Op-ed | Regulatory reform is not a one-off event
The American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act takes a number of important steps to provide regulatory certainty for emerging commercial space applications; and to implement the United States’ international obligation to provide authorization and supervision for its private sector actors.

Foust Forward | For commercial space, fewer-stop, not one-stop, shopping
For an administration that likes to play up even the smallest space policy milestone, the signing of Space Policy Directive 2 on May 24 almost flew under the radar.

Commerce Department pressing ahead with commercial space regulatory reform
Backed by a set of recommendations endorsed by the National Space Council, the Secretary of Commerce says he is moving ahead with efforts to improve the regulatory environment for commercial space.

Regulatory reform to be a topic of next National Space Council meeting
When members of the National Space Council meet this week, they are expected to discuss, among other issues, regulatory reforms intended to promote growth of the commercial spaceflight industry.