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Trump signs executive order cutting red tape for commercial rocket launches

By Christian Datoc August 13, 2025 | updated 14 hours ago

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday easing regulations surrounding commercial rocket launches that industry figures say have slowed innovation and testing.

The order was just one of Trump’s several executive actions on Wednesday afternoon. It directs Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to “eliminate or expedite environmental reviews for launch and reentry licenses and permits ” and to review and eliminate all “outdated” rules concerning space flight vehicles.

Furthermore, the order directs Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to take several steps to bolster domestic space business growth, including moving the Office of Space Commerce from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration directly to the Department of Commerce.

“The commercial space industry drives economic growth, supports cutting-edge technology, and advances Federal space exploration objectives,” a White House fact sheet detailing the order reads. “Inefficient permitting processes discourage investment and innovation, limiting the ability of U.S. companies to lead in global space markets.”

Although the text of the order itself does not specifically mention SpaceX, the company currently dominates the commercial space flight industry and would stand to reap significant benefits from Trump’s actions.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, whose feud with Trump has publicly cooled in the weeks since the former Department of Government Efficiency chief departed from the administration, has long claimed that environmental regulations have hampered the speed with which the company can test and develop its next-generation rocket technology.

Trump tapped Duffy to serve as acting NASA administrator in July. He made headlines earlier this month by announcing plans to pursue a nuclear reactor on the moon and adding that the United States is on the verge of a space “race” with China.

Duffy told reporters that “to have a base on the moon, we need energy.”

TRUMP COMMISSIONS NEW COAST GUARD ICEBREAKER WITH AIMS OF BOOSTING ARCTIC SECURITY

“There’s a certain part of the moon that everyone knows is the best,” he continued. “We have ice there. We have sunlight there. We want to get there first and claim that for America.”

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