US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order easing regulations for the private space sector, including reducing environmental reviews, with the goal of substantially increasing the number of American space launches by 2030.
The move is expected to benefit SpaceX, whose founder Elon Musk has long pushed for deregulation, and whose massive Starship rocket is central to planned US missions to the Moon and Mars.
Transportation Secretary and NASA administrator Sean Duffy has been tasked with expediting or eliminating environmental checks for launches, a step environmental groups warn could harm protected species and habitats.
President Trump, who has promoted ambitious space exploration goals since returning to office in January, said the policy aims to strengthen US competitiveness in the global launch market.
While the Federal Aviation Administration recently approved a rise in Starship launches from five to 25 annually, the Center for Biological Diversity criticised the order as “reckless,” warning it could cause massive environmental damage.