How Trump's commercial spaceflight executive order could benefit SpaceX, Elon Musk
Trump on Wednesday, Aug. 13, signed an executive order that eases many federal regulatory restrictions on commercial spaceflight companies in the U.S.
Though SpaceX is not mentioned by name in the order, the commercial spaceflight company perhaps stands to gain the most from the move due to its many lucrative government contracts and active launch cadence in the U.S.
The order also comes more than two months since Trump and Musk had a very public feud over a spending bill that led to a falling-out between the once-close allies – and threats that could have hampered U.S. spaceflight ambitions.
Here's everything to know about Trump's commercial spaceflight executive order, as well as SpaceX's long battle with government regulators.
Trump signs executive order on commercial rocket launches
Trump's order directs the U.S. transportation secretary to eliminate or expedite environmental reviews for launch appovals administered by the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches. The declaration further calls on the secretary to do away with "outdated, redundant or overly restrictive rules for launch and re-entry vehicles," the White House said in a statement provided to Reuters.
Trump's order states that it is imperative to increase commercial rocket launches in the U.S. to "ensure that new space-based industries, space exploration capabilities, and cutting-edge defense systems are pioneered in America rather than by our adversaries."
Interestingly, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, whose title is referenced several times in the order, was appointed in July as interim administrator of NASA.
Following the news, Duffy praised Trump in a post on social media site X calling the order "visionary."
"We're launching into the final frontier and this EO makes it possible for the U.S. to lead the world from earth travel to space travel," Duffy said in the post.
Order could ease environmental regulations for SpaceX missions
The executive order would directly benefit private spaceflight companies like Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, both of which conduct the bulk of their operations in Texas.
But SpaceX, which Musk founded in 2002, likely stands to gain the most from the relaxed regulatory environment.
The commercial rocket launch company leads the way in U.S. spaceflight missions by routinely conducting Starlink satellite deployments using its Falcon 9 rocket from both California and Florida.
SpaceX's Falcon 9, one of the world's most active rockets, is also the vehicle of choice for NASA when the space agency sends astronauts to the International Space Station. What's more, the SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule perched atop the rocket is the only U.S. vehicle capable of transporting astronauts to the orbital laboratory.
SpaceX additionally benefits from billions of dollars in contracts from not only NASA, but the Department of Defense by providing launch services for classified satellites and other payloads.
Trump's order comes as SpaceX prepares to launch its massive 400-foot Starship rocket again in August from its Starbase headquarters in South Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border. Musk has also oft-stated his commitment to increasing the cadence of test missions for the spacecraft after receiving key regulatory approval.
The launch vehicle, regarded as the world's largest and most powerful rocket, is set to serve a pivotal role in future U.S. spaceflight. Starship is the centerpiece of Musk's vision of sending the first humans to Mars, and is also critical in NASA's plans to return astronauts to the moon's surface.
Elon Musk, SpaceX have battled regulations for years
Trump's executive order is undoubtedly a huge win for Musk, who has spent years pushing back on federal regulations he views as "superfluous."
In September 2024, the FAA announced a proposal to hit SpaceX with $633,009 in civil penalties for what the agency claims were failures by the company to follow license requirements ahead of two separate launches in 2023. In response, Musk took to his social media site X to indicate his plans to sue the agency for "regulatory overreach."
The FAA has previously said in a statement to USA TODAY that it seeks to balance spaceflight progress with the need to ensure commercial launches are safely conducted. A record 148 FAA-licensed commercial space operations took place in 2024, up by more than 30% from the year prior, the agency has noted.
But when it comes to Starship's development, SpaceX has become known for its risk-tolerant philosophy. Musk has stressed that rapid and frequent testing that sometimes leads to explosive ends can still provide data that helps engineers improve the vehicle's design.
Environmental groups, others long oppose SpaceX rocket launches
That aggressive approach, though, has rankled environmentalists and others who have criticized SpaceX's operations for potentially decimating regional ecosystems.
The South Texas Environmental Justice Network, which has long opposed Musk and his space program, most recently issued a statement in May condemning the FAA for approving SpaceX's request to increase its Starship flight tests to 25 a year.
In late June, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum threatened to sue SpaceX if investigators determined that Musk's spaceflight company had contributed to undue pollution and marine life die-off in the country.
The announcement came after the fiery mishap earlier in the month caused debris to fall in the Mexican state of Tamaulipa.
Contributing: Reuters
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SpaceX to benefit from Trump order on commercial rocket launches
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