U.S. Department of Transportation SPACE task force

The U.S. Department of Transportation established the Space Policy Administration, Coordination, and Execution (SPACE) task force to implement the National Space Transportation Policy. Led by Under Secretary for Policy Ryan McCormack, the task force aims to coordinate activities across agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration to streamline regulations, expand launch infrastructure, and integrate space activities with airspace management.

The initiative addresses a projected surge in commercial activity, with projections suggesting a rise from 217 commercial launches in 2025 to approximately 10,000 FAA-licensed launches and re-entries annually by 2035. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated the goal is to maintain U.S. leadership in commercial space innovation and compete with China.

Further developments include the Office of Space Commerce launching a Space Commerce Certification pilot, which allows U.S. companies to test mission concepts within integrated regulatory frameworks. The broader policy also targets U.S. ranges supporting more than 1,000 launches and re-entries annually by 2030.