Trump to drastically increase U.S. space rocket launches

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at significantly boosting the number of U.S. space rocket launches, with a goal of achieving at least 1,000 starts and returns annually by 2030. This ambitious initiative seeks to bolster the private space sector and solidify American leadership in the next era of space exploration.

The directive mandates government agencies to identify suitable government-owned lands for new launch and landing sites, with a new federal spaceport to be designated within 90 days. It also stipulates that government bodies should not compete with commercial providers unless national or public safety necessitates it. The order emphasizes fostering joint infrastructure development with private partners, streamlining permitting processes, and securing adequate radio frequencies to support the industry's rapid growth.

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The new directive will meet the rapid growth of the industry and position the USA as the leading nation in the next era of space exploration.

Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, stated that the new policy aligns with the industry's swift expansion and positions the U.S. as a leader in space. He highlighted the plan's reliance on the private sector to land Americans on the moon by 2028 and establish initial elements of a moon base by 2030, while also ensuring rapid and resilient launch capabilities for national security.

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The approach relies on the private sector, will bring US citizens to the moon by 2028, and create the first elements of a moon base by 2030.

The space agency NASA is tasked with facilitating commercial transport to the moon and uncrewed missions to Mars, while also exploring pathways for crewed Mars flights. This push for Mars missions has been influenced by SpaceX founder Elon Musk, a significant donor and former government advisor whose company prioritizes Mars exploration. However, Congress has urged a renewed focus on NASA's multi-billion dollar Artemis moon program.

SpaceX, founded by Musk, currently dominates the commercial rocket launch market, accounting for 170 out of 178 U.S. launches last year. The total number of U.S. launches has seen a tenfold increase since 2013. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) previously noted SpaceX's ambition for 10,000 annual launches within five years, and the company announced plans to build a network of one million satellites.

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It also enables fast and resilient launch capabilities for national security.