Trump signs memo to help drastically boost US commercial space launches

On August 20, President Donald Trump signed a memo aimed at significantly expanding U.S. commercial space launches. The White House aims to achieve at least 1,000 launches and re-entries annually by 2030, a tenfold increase from 178 launches in 2025. The memo encourages government agencies to seek federal land for new launch and re-entry sites, incentivize private sector co-development of space infrastructure, expedite permitting and environmental reviews, and ensure sufficient wireless spectrum for space launches.

Trump also seeks to return U.S. astronauts to the moon by 2028, with NASA facilitating commercial transportation to the moon and robotic access to Mars. The memo directs agencies to identify future space launch and re-entry sites on government property and designate priority airspace for critical space launch corridors, integrating space transportation activities into air traffic control modernization.