The Department of Transportation has formed a new task force to coordinate federal commercial space policy as the agency prepares for a sharp increase in launch and reentry activity. DOT announced the Space Policy Administration, Coordination, and Execution (SPACE) Task Force on Wednesday and said it expects FAA-licensed launches and reentries to reach 10,000 annually by 2035.
Airspace Integration
The SPACE Task Force will be chaired by Under Secretary of Transportation Ryan McCormack and includes representatives from the FAA and several other DOT offices. Its work will support the administration’s space policy, which calls for expanded launch infrastructure, changes to commercial space regulation and greater coordination between space operations and the existing aviation system.
The policy directs DOT to develop a plan within 180 days for integrating launch and reentry management into air traffic control modernization. The department is also directed to designate priority airspace for critical launch corridors. The White House has set an interim goal of supporting more than 1,000 launches and reentries annually by 2030.
More Launch Sites Planned
DOT began seeking industry and public input last month on potential locations for additional spaceports and new launch routes. According to the department, 83% of launches currently originate from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center in Florida or Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The FAA currently establishes aircraft hazard areas during launches and reentries and restricts uninvolved aircraft from entering that airspace. The agency has been developing procedures and technology intended to reduce the size and duration of those restrictions as launch activity increases, including near-real-time tracking that can allow airspace to reopen sooner after a vehicle clears a hazard area, according to the FAA.
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