Trump Launches New Era in Space Transportation

RENEWING AMERICAN SPACE TRANSPORTATION LEADERSHIP: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum to reinvigorate America's leadership in space transportation and enable over 1,000 launches and reentries on American soil annually by 2030.

• The Memorandum repeals an outdated National Space Transportation Policy. It replaces that policy with one that delivers a comprehensive America First approach to assuring reliable, affordable, modernized access to space transportation services that promote a vibrant, competitive, and resilient U.S. space transportation industrial base.
• The Memorandum directs agencies to incentivize co-development of space transportation infrastructure with private sector partners, expedite permitting and environmental reviews, develop fair and transparent cost recovery policies for common space services and infrastructure, and develop range scheduling criteria and publish range schedules to maximize allocation of launch resources.
• The Memorandum directs the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Secretary of War and the Administrator of NASA, to identify future additional space transportation infrastructure locations, including additional launch and reentry sites. It also designates priority airspace for critical space launch corridors and integration of space transportation activities into air traffic control modernization efforts.
• The Memorandum directs the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST) to coordinate interagency efforts to develop and implement a space transportation industrial base strategy that promotes and maintains America's space transportation industry, streamlines procurement, implements relevant space security strategies, and ensures an appropriate workforce to accomplish these goals.
• The Memorandum directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce to ensure U.S. space transportation market access to promote and enable U.S. space transportation capabilities and standards.
• The Memorandum directs the Administrator of NASA to facilitate commercial transportation to and from the moon, to facilitate commercial robotic access to Mars, and to explore commercial avenues to send humans to and from Mars.
• The Memorandum directs the Secretary of War to pursue, maximize, and explore in-space transportation services for existing and potential missions to support the in-space transportation industry.

SECURING AMERICA'S NATIONAL AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS: At a time when our adversaries are challenging American space superiority, President Trump is securing and defending our vital national and economic interests in, from, and to space while unlocking new commercial space opportunities.

• By 2030, U.S. space transportation must expand to support more than 1,000 launches and reentries each year.
• Protecting critical space assets and activities is essential for military readiness and for defending America's economic dominance.
• Growing a vibrant commercial space economy and space transportation capabilities through the power of American free enterprise will build prosperity and open new economic opportunities, such as high-paying aerospace manufacturing jobs here in America, and decrease the price for developing and deploying new space systems.
• Novel in-space manufacturing and transportation capabilities will enable discovery and development of high-value materials and pharmaceuticals, unlock new space architectures, and sustain American technology leadership.
• Enabling next-generation space capabilities will give Americans better positioning, navigation, and timing services for precision agriculture, more accurate weather forecasts for safe and predictable airline travel, and ubiquitous satellite-enabled communications for global broadband internet access.
• Expanding human reach and American presence in space honors our pioneering legacy, ensures America remains at the forefront of space discovery and achievement, and drives innovation.

BUILDING AMERICAN STRENGTH AND DRIVING ACHIEVEMENT: President Trump has demonstrated consistent leadership as a driving force for American strength and achievement in space.

• President Trump spearheaded the establishment of the Space Force, the first new branch of the Armed Forces since the creation of the Air Force more than 70 years ago. The Space Force is critical to preparing the Department of War for evolving warfighting conditions and expanding our capabilities.
• During his first term, President Trump issued seven groundbreaking Space Policy Directives that instructed NASA to return American astronauts to the Moon and beyond through the Artemis Program, reformed our Nation's commercial space regulatory framework, established cybersecurity principles for space systems, and much more.
  • In April 2026, America sent astronauts on Artemis II to lunar orbit for the first time in over 50 years.
• In August 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to enable competition in the commercial space industry, ensuring the United States maintains its leading role in the commercial use of space.
• In December 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order that set a bold vision for an America First space policy, ensuring the United States leads the world in space exploration, security, and commerce.
• In July 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a significant proposed rulemaking to waive burdensome environmental reviews for launch infrastructure and enable a commercial space launch renaissance.