President Trump signs new national space transportation policy to increase U.S. launch capacity by 2030
The administration announced a new national space transportation policy on Thursday, directing federal agencies to expand infrastructure to support more than 1,000 launches and reentries per year by 2030. This policy replaces a 2013 directive and emphasizes the importance of commercial partnerships to secure America's superiority in space. To achieve these goals, the administration called on the Pentagon and NASA to prioritize infrastructure investments at federal launch and reentry ranges. The plan aims to provide more responsive launch operations, such as putting high-priority payloads into orbit within 48 hours of need. Additionally, the administration directed the Transportation Department to develop a plan to integrate launch and reentry management into air-traffic-control modernization. The policy serves as a blueprint to address bottlenecks such as limited launch ranges, crowded airspace, and permitting delays. It also supports NASA's ongoing work on commercial transportation to the Moon and future expeditions to Mars, while aiming to keep the U.S. ahead of China's rapid space buildup.