The House Science Committee has formally requested a review of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) launch regulations, specifically Part 450, by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Reps. Brian Babin (R-Texas) and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), the committee’s chair and ranking member, respectively, initiated this action in a February 12 letter. Their concern stems from criticisms within the industry regarding the effectiveness and efficiency of Part 450 in handling the increasing number and technological diversity of commercial space launches and reentries.
“As the rule approaches its fifth anniversary, the Committee questions whether the implementation of the Part 450 regulations is effectively and efficiently accommodating United States commercial launch and reentry operations, especially as the cadence and technological diversity of such operations continues to increase,” the letter states. Industry concerns highlighted include the regulations' complexity, unclear guidance, and lengthy licensing timelines. A House space subcommittee hearing in September addressed these issues.
The GAO's review will investigate the FAA's procedures and guidance for license applicants, analyze application review timelines, and examine the agency's organizational structure and inter-agency interactions. Rep. Babin stated that the review will offer an “objective look at existing procedures and offer insight into whether further improvements are needed through legislation or administrative action.”
While the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) maintains it has been working to improve the licensing process—pointing to the timely licensing of recent Blue Origin New Glenn and SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy test flights as examples—concerns remain. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) noted that these instances were outliers, stating, “We’ve all seen AST struggle with licensing new vehicles and grapple with an iterative vehicle development process, and seen the impact that it’s had on the pace of innovation.”
FAA/AST officials acknowledge the challenges. Katie Cranor, acting deputy director of FAA/AST’s Office of Operational Safety, expressed optimism, viewing the recent expedited licensing as “a foreshadowing of what is to come.” Efforts to streamline the process are underway, including the Aerospace Rulemaking Committee (SpARC) tasked with reviewing Part 450. The SpARC, which began work in December, aims to deliver its final report to the FAA in July. Randy Repcheck, deputy director of FAA/AST’s Office of Strategic Management, noted that “pretty much the entire Part 450 is open for debate,” with a focus on reentry vehicle licensing, test flights, and the balance between quantitative and qualitative analyses.
Beyond SpARC, the FAA is pursuing additional improvements such as new advisory circulars, workshops, and a new electronic application system. “We’re working hard on that to bring our licensing process up to at least the 2020s,” said Repcheck.