The US relies heavily on SpaceX, awarding it over $20 billion in federal contracts|Official SpaceX|CC BY-NC 2.0
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to speed up rocket launch approvals and boost spaceport construction.
The move targets industry frustrations over slow regulatory processes, especially at the Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees private launches. The order streamlines environmental reviews, making it easier to build new launch facilities.
Who benefits?
SpaceX, already the most frequent US rocket launcher, stands to benefit, as do competitors like Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has long criticized regulators for slowing projects like Starship, its experimental rocket.
The US relies heavily on SpaceX, awarding it over $20 billion in federal contracts. While most launches occur from Florida and California, other spaceports are vying to handle growing traffic.
Industry leaders say the order will cut red tape without compromising public safety, supporting America’s expanding space ambitions.
NASA’s Mars communications shift
NASA is shifting from operating its own Mars relays to buying connectivity as a service, prompting bids from Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Rocket Lab.
With MAVEN and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter aging, NASA seeks studies for a lunar trunkline and Mars network to support future science missions and long-term human exploration.