President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday directing government agencies to “eliminate or expedite” environmental reviews for commercial launch and reentry licenses.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), part of the Department of Transportation (DOT), grants licenses for commercial launch and reentry operations. The FAA is charged with ensuring launch and reentries don’t endanger the public, comply with environmental laws, and comport with US national interests.
The drive toward deregulation will be welcome news for companies like SpaceX, led by onetime Trump ally Elon Musk, which conducts nearly all of the commercial launches and reentries licensed by the FAA.
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