Trump signs memo to dramatically expand US commercial space launches

US President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum aimed at sharply increasing the number of commercial space launches and re-entries in the United States, directing federal agencies to identify new sites and speed up regulatory approvals.

The White House wants the US to be able to support at least 1,000 launches and re-entries a year by 2030, Caliber.Az reports, citing British media.

That compares with 178 launches last year, according to the memorandum.

The policy calls on government agencies to consider federal land for new launch and re-entry sites, expedite permitting and environmental reviews, ensure sufficient wireless spectrum for launches and identify priority airspace for space-launch corridors.

The memorandum also calls for greater co-operation between the government and private companies in developing space transportation infrastructure.

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios said the new policy "meets this moment of explosive growth and positions America to lead the next era of space."

He said it adopts a "commercial-first approach enabling Americans on the Moon by 2028 and initial Moon Base elements by 2030, and rapid, resilient launch capabilities for national security."

Trump has also ordered officials to identify a new federal re-entry site within 90 days.

The memorandum says US government agencies should avoid conducting space transportation activities that "preclude, discourage, or compete with United States commercial space transportation activities, unless required by public safety or national security."

The policy further directs NASA to facilitate commercial transportation to the Moon, support commercial robotic missions to Mars and explore commercial options for sending humans to Mars.

SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, has played a dominant role in the US commercial launch market. The company conducted 170 launches in 2025, deploying about 2,500 satellites.

In May, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration said SpaceX was aiming for 10,000 launches a year within five years.

Trump has repeatedly spoken about missions to Mars, while Musk has made human exploration of the planet a major goal for SpaceX.

However, Congress has increasingly pushed NASA to maintain its focus on the Moon through the Artemis programme, which has already received billions of dollars in funding.

The memorandum also instructs federal agencies to assess, on a case-by-case basis, requests to launch commercial foreign space vehicles from US territory.

By Aghakazim Guliyev