Trump Vows 'Golden Age' of Space Travel
US aims for over 1,000 launches and reentries on its soil every year by 2030, as it competes with China to land astronauts on the Moon
US President Donald Trump has pledged a 'golden age' of space travel, aiming to support over 1,000 launches and reentries on US soil every year by 2030. This ambitious goal is part of a new National Space Transportation Policy, which updates the approach to managing spaceflights within the country's borders for the first time since 2013.
The policy aims to expand the nation's capabilities to support commercial, civil, and national security missions to orbit. The US is currently competing with China in the race to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030, more than 50 years after humans first walked the lunar surface.
The new policy directs federal agencies to identify and broaden commercial access to additional launch and reentry sites within 180 days. It also reinforces a framework to expedite environmental review processes for commercial launches and spaceport construction. This move is expected to boost the US space industry, which has already seen significant growth in recent years. In 2022, the US had 176 orbital launch attempts from its soil, nearly 10 times the number in 2013.
SpaceX, a leading private space company, is planning to launch 30 or more Starship flights a day by 2030, which equates to more than 10,000 flights per year. The company led the pack last year with 165 orbital launches of its Falcon 9 rocket, plus five suborbital test flights of the much larger Starship.
## Why it matters The new policy is a significant step towards reinvigorating America's leadership in space transportation. With the US competing with China to land astronauts on the Moon, the stakes are high. The ability to support over 1,000 launches and reentries on US soil every year by 2030 will be crucial in achieving this goal. The policy's focus on expanding infrastructure and procedures will also help to support the growing commercial space industry, which is expected to play a key role in the US space program.
## What happens next The federal agencies have been given a deadline to start identifying potential locations for future launch activities and existing facilities that could be upgraded to further increase capacity. Within 90 days, agencies are also expected to identify federal lands available for development as independent launch vehicle reentry sites. As the US space industry continues to grow, the new policy is expected to play a key role in shaping its future.
