President Donald Trump signed a national space transportation policy on Thursday that directs federal agencies to develop additional spaceports capable of supporting heavy and super heavy rocket launches. The memorandum replaces a 2013 policy from Barack Obama and sets a goal of handling more than 1,000 orbital launches and reentries annually by 2030—nearly triple the 176 orbital attempts recorded in the US last year.
The policy emphasizes commercial space industry growth and assured access to space, reflecting the rapid expansion of launch activity since 2013. SpaceX alone accounted for 165 of last year’s orbital launches using its Falcon 9 rocket, alongside five suborbital Starship test flights. The memorandum frames the expansion as critical to maintaining US leadership in space.
Federal agencies must now identify suitable federal land for new spaceport development and streamline permitting to meet the 2030 target.
