New milestone for FAA-licensed commercial space operations as regulatory update begins
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 15, 2024

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concluded Fiscal Year 2024 with an unprecedented 148 licensed commercial space operations, marking a growth exceeding 30 percent compared to the previous year. Looking ahead, the FAA predicts this figure could more than double by FY 2028. In response to this rapid growth, the FAA is initiating an Aerospace Rulemaking Committee to revise its Part 450 launch and reentry licensing rule.

"The FAA is seeking to update the licensing rule to foster more clarity, flexibility, efficiency, and innovation," stated Kelvin B. Coleman, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation. "Making timely licensing determinations without compromising public safety is a top priority."

The original Part 450 rule aimed to streamline regulatory processes, reduce the frequency of license applications to the FAA, and minimize waiver processing needs, among other objectives.

The new committee, comprising members from the commercial space sector and academia, will focus on nine key areas, including flight safety analyses, system safety, and compliance methods. A report recommending updates to Part 450 is expected by late summer 2025, which will guide future FAA rulemaking initiatives.

The FAA is inviting industry stakeholders to join this initiative, with an initial meeting planned for early December.

The agency remains dedicated to fostering the growth of U.S. commercial space transportation, sustaining its global leadership and maintaining a robust safety record. Efficient and timely license approvals are integral to these goals and require strong collaboration between the FAA and the industry.

The FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation is refining its internal procedures and policies, achieving record staffing levels - now at 165 personnel, up from 118 at the end of FY 2022. The office is also advancing automation for license submissions and evaluations while expanding educational outreach through pre-application consultations, advisory circulars, and online workshops.

Industry participants can aid in expediting the licensing process by leveraging FAA resources to understand requirements, submitting well-prepared applications, minimizing changes during evaluation, responding swiftly to information requests, and improving mission planning to limit license modifications.

Key Statistics
FAA-licensed commercial operations (launches and reentries) have surged by over 900% from 14 in FY 2015 to 148 in FY 2024. Detailed commercial space statistics are available for review.

In FY 2024, the FAA executed 49 licensing actions, which included two new licenses, 10 renewals, and 37 modifications. The office also completed 23 environmental reviews and conducted 810 inspections.

By federal mandate, the FAA has a maximum of 180 days from application acceptance to approve or deny a new launch or reentry license and has adhered to this timeframe 98% of the time.

Seven Part 450 licenses have been issued to date, covering Astra Space, ABL Space, Inversion Space, Relativity Space, SpaceX, Stratolaunch, and Varda Space.

Related Links
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