On Wednesday, President Trump signed an order that relaxes restrictions on commercial rocket launches and space development, a move likely to benefit Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
The directive eliminates or speeds up environmental reviews for rocket launches and seeks exemptions from certain regulatory requirements for launch vehicles.
Additionally, it aims to evaluate state and local regulations concerning space development while streamlining environmental and administrative processes to enhance infrastructure for launches.
Trump’s order states that it’s crucial for U.S. operators to efficiently launch, execute their missions in space, and return to U.S. airspace, linking this efficiency to economic growth, national security, and federal space goals.
The intent is to “significantly” boost commercial launches and “new space activities” by the decade’s end.
However, environmental advocates raised immediate concerns. The Center for Biodiversity criticized the order as “reckless,” arguing that it could result in dangerous rocket launches that pose risks to both people and wildlife.
“It’s highly concerning for federal agencies to cater to powerful businesses at the expense of essential environmental laws, which could cause significant harm,” said Jared Margolis, a senior lawyer with the Center for Biodiversity. “This clearly doesn’t serve the public interest.”
This order may provide a significant advantage to Musk’s SpaceX, which is a leading player in the commercial space sector. So far this year, companies involved in spacecraft and satellite communications have conducted over 100 launches.
The signing comes amidst a complicated relationship between Trump and Musk after their collaboration in the White House ended earlier this year.
Musk reportedly invested around $250 million to support Trump’s 2024 campaign and was initially appointed to lead a new initiative focused on government efficiency.
However, these controversial cost-cutting measures have impacted Musk and his company’s reputation, leading him to step back from government duties in May.
Following that, Trump and Musk began publicly disagreeing over the president’s ambitious policy proposals, which led to personal conflicts and prompted Musk to announce plans for a third political party.
