Trump signs memo to help drastically boost US commercial space launches

US President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Thursday aimed at significantly increasing the number of commercial space launches in the United States, according to Reuters. The goal is to achieve at least 1,000 launches and re-entries annually by 2030, a substantial rise from the 178 launches recorded in 2025. This ambitious target, led by SpaceX, the company founded by Elon Musk, is ten times greater than the previous year and marks a new era in space exploration.

The memo directs government agencies to explore federal land for new launch and re-entry sites within 90 days. It also calls for incentivizing co-development of space transportation infrastructure with private sector partners, expediting permitting and environmental reviews, and ensuring adequate wireless spectrum for space launches. Moreover, the White House aims to return U.S. astronauts to the moon by 2028 and explore commercial avenues for sending humans to Mars.

Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, emphasized that the new national space transportation policy is a response to the current growth in the industry. It advocates for a commercial-first approach, aiming for American presence on the Moon by 2028 and initial Moon Base elements by 2030, alongside rapid and resilient launch capabilities for national security.

Trump also directed cabinet agencies to refrain from conducting U.S. government space transportation activities that hinder or compete with commercial space transportation activities, unless necessary for public safety or national security. The head of the Federal Aviation Administration had previously stated that SpaceX aims to reach 10,000 annual launches within five years, with the company conducting 170 launches in 2025, deploying about 2,500 satellites.

In January, SpaceX revealed plans to launch a constellation of 1 million satellites that will orbit Earth and harness solar power to run AI data centers.

At the beginning of his second term, Trump had expressed strong interest in sending missions to Mars, with Musk serving as a close adviser in his administration. However, congressional focus gradually shifted toward the moon, leading to increased emphasis on NASA's Artemis moon program, which has received substantial funding.