Biden administration said to be drafting simpler rules on space travel
Dec. 09, 2022 12:48 PM ETThe Boeing Company (BA), NOC, LMT, SPACE, AJRD, SPCE, RTXBy: Rob Williams NY, SA News Editor32 Comments
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The Biden administration is working on an executive order aimed at simplifying the approval for launches of private rockets, Reuters reported, citing two people familiar with the matter. The rules are among a broader effort to clarify legal and regulatory requirements for U.S. companies in space travel and private space stations.
The order would be consistent with the goals of the White House's National Space Council to modernize U.S. regulation on space travel, which hasn’t kept pace with advancements in the private sector.
The plan is for Biden to sign the order early next year, making it easier for companies to get permission to deploy satellites and to launch rockets, Reuters reported, citing one of the sources who asked not to be named.
In accordance with the order, the U.S. Department of Commerce will set up a website that helps companies obtain licenses from different government agencies for space travel.
The new rules would come as companies including Boeing (NYSE:BA), Elon Musk's SpaceX (SPACE), Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin and others spend billions of dollars on private space stations, satellites and orbiting spaceships.