The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is streamlining the licensing process for commercial space operators by consolidating multiple rules into a single, performance-based framework under Part 450.
According to the agency, the move is designed to reduce administrative burdens and costs for both operators and the FAA while maintaining safety standards for the public.
“All licensing will now occur under Part 450, which consolidates four older rules into one,” said Dr. Minh A. Nguyen, deputy associate administrator for the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation. “We’re pleased to have flight-ready operators and vehicles successfully transition to a performance-based rule that unlocks flexibility while maintaining safety for the public.”
Part 450 was first issued during the Trump administration as commercial space activity ramped up. Operators were given a five-year transition period, allowing both old and new regulations to run concurrently. The rule now lets operators hold a single license covering multiple missions, vehicle types, and launch or reentry sites.
Operators who completed the transition by March 9, 2026, include Blue Origin’s New Shepard, Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy with Dragon, Rocket Lab’s Electron, and United Launch Alliance’s Atlas and Vulcan.
Since the rule’s initial rollout in March 2021, the FAA has issued 14 Part 450 licenses. The full list of licenses is available on the FAA website.
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