启动美国太空创新的政策改革

ELLIS SCHERER| JANUARY 2026 Competitiveness in the global space economy should be a priority for the United States, butineffective regulations weigh down the American commercial space industry. While last year’sexecutive order was a good start, additional regulatory reforms are necessary to address keyroadblocks to U.S. space capabilities. KEY TAKEAWAYS The United States is in a fight for dominance of the global space economy, so any marketshare gains other countries make are losses for Americans. Space is a dual-use industry, meaning advancements in space capabilities have botheconomic and national security benefits. Congress and federal agencies must significantly reform the regulatory landscapegoverning the space industry to realize these benefits. The Federal Aviation Administration needs to streamline the licensing process for launchand reentry vehicles and revise Part 450 rules to make compliance more straightforwardfor licensees. The Federal Communications Commission should make rocket launch spectrum morereadily available to accommodate the growing number of space operators and increasedlaunch cadences. Congress should ensure that there is better public-private coordination, additionalfunding, and more key personnel at the federal launch ranges to upgrade theirinfrastructure and enhance operational capacity. Congress must revise environmental laws that leave rocket and spaceport permitting inlimbo so space operators can innovate rapidly enough to maintain global competitiveness. CONTENTS Key Takeaways................................................................................................................... 1Introduction....................................................................................................................... 3Why the United States Needs a Competitive Space Industry ................................................... 4Space Industry Contributions to the U.S. Economy............................................................. 4Space Capabilities Lead to Innovation and Growth in Other Industries.................................. 5Communications.......................................................................................................... 5Precision Agriculture.................................................................................................... 5Disaster Prevention and Response ................................................................................. 5Positioning, Navigation, and Timing............................................................................... 5Healthcare Science on the International Space Station.................................................... 6Space Capabilities Are Dual Use....................................................................................... 6The Space Industry’s Greatest Regulatory Challenges............................................................. 6Permitting for Launch and Reentry Vehicles ...................................................................... 6The Vehicle Licensing Process ...................................................................................... 7The Impact of Part 450................................................................................................ 8What the EO Accomplishes ............................................................................................ 10What Policymakers Should Do ........................................................................................ 10Securing Spectrum for Launch Operations .......................................................................... 11What Policy Makers Should Do ....................................................................................... 12Aging Spaceports and Operational Bottlenecks.................................................................... 12Increasing Use of Federal Ranges Is Causing Operational Bottlenecks ................................ 14A Lack of Funding Means Current Spaceports Cannot Support the Growing Industry ............ 16What the EO Accomplishes ............................................................................................ 16What Policy Makers Should Do ....................................................................................... 16Environmental Regulations................................................................................................ 17What the EO Accomplishes ............................................................................................ 18What Policy Makers Should Do ....................................................................................... 19Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 19Endnotes......................................................................................................................... 20 INTRODUCTION Today, the United States faces fi