The Biden administration is reportedly drafting an executive order to modernize federal space regulations. The goal of the order is to simplify licensing and approval procedures for more routine space activities, such as rocket launches and satellite deployments.
The Biden administration is reportedly drafting an executive order to streamline space rules
The order could be ready for President Biden to sign by early next year. White House officials have hosted multiple “listening sessions” with private space companies since November 14th. The administration is considering an order that would task the Department of Commerce with creating an online tool to guide companies through licensing requirements from each federal agency.
The team drafting the order is also looking for ways to push Congress to give certain federal agencies oversight of space activities not covered by current laws, such as asteroid mining and space junk removal.
The push to streamline space regulations comes as companies like Blue Origin prepare to spend billions on projects such as Orbital Reef, a space station the firm hopes to start assembling in low Earth orbit by the end of the decade.
The next decade is also likely to see a new space race between the US and China as the two countries look to put humans back on the Moon. Private space firms are likely to be critical in the outcome of that conflict.
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