WASHINGTON / WHITE HOUSE - This memorandum rescinds the outdated National Space Transportation Policy. It replaces this policy with one that provides a comprehensive "America First" approach to ensuring reliable, affordable, and modernized access to space transportation services, supporting a vibrant, competitive, and resilient U.S. space transportation industrial base.
The memorandum directs agencies to foster collaborative development of space transportation infrastructure with private sector partners, accelerate permitting and environmental reviews, create fair and transparent cost recovery policies for joint space services and infrastructure, and develop criteria for range planning and publish range plans to maximize the allocation of launch resources.
The memorandum directs the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the NASA Administrator, to identify future locations for space transportation infrastructure, including additional launch and landing sites. It also designates priority airspace for critical launch corridors and integrates space transportation activities into efforts to modernize air traffic management.
The memorandum directs the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST) to coordinate interagency efforts in developing and implementing a strategy for the space transportation industrial base that supports and sustains the U.S. space transportation industry, streamlines contracting processes, implements appropriate space safety strategies, and ensures an adequate workforce to achieve these goals.
The memorandum directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce to ensure access to the U.S. space transportation market to support and enable U.S. space transportation capabilities and standards.
The memorandum directs the NASA Administrator to facilitate commercial cargo transport to and from the Moon, facilitate commercial robotic missions to Mars, and explore commercial pathways for sending humans to Mars and back.
The memorandum directs the Secretary of Defense to identify, maximize, and explore space transportation services for existing and potential missions in support of the space transportation industry.
PROTECTING AMERICA'S NATIONAL AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS: At a time when our adversaries are challenging American dominance in space, President Trump is securing and defending our vital national and economic interests in space, from space, and to space, while also opening up new commercial space opportunities.
By 2030, U.S. space transportation must expand to support more than 1,000 launches and landings per year.
Protecting critical space assets and activities is essential for military readiness and for defending American economic dominance.
The growth of a vibrant commercial space economy and space transportation capabilities through the power of American free enterprise will build prosperity and unlock new economic opportunities, such as high-paying jobs in the aerospace industry here in America, and reduce the cost of developing and deploying new space systems.
New manufacturing and transportation capabilities in space will enable the discovery and development of valuable materials and medicines, unlock new space architectures, and maintain American technological leadership.
Enabling space capabilities for the next generation will provide Americans with improved positioning, navigation, and timing services for precision agriculture, more accurate weather forecasts for safe and predictable air travel, and ubiquitous satellite communications for global broadband internet access.
Expanding human reach and American presence in space honors our pioneering legacy, ensures that America remains at the forefront of space exploration and achievement, and drives innovation.
BUILDING AMERICAN STRENGTH AND DRIVING SUCCESS: President Trump has demonstrated consistent leadership as a driving force for American strength and success in space.
President Trump led the establishment of the Space Force, the first new branch of the armed forces since the creation of the Air Force more than 70 years ago. The Space Force is essential to preparing the Department of Defense for evolving conditions for warfare and expanding our capabilities. During his first term, President Trump issued seven groundbreaking space policy directives that directed NASA to return American astronauts to the Moon and beyond through the Artemis program, reformed the regulatory framework for our nation's commercial space industry, established cybersecurity principles for space systems, and much more.
In April 2026, America sent astronauts on the Artemis II mission to orbit the Moon for the first time in over 50 years.
In August 2025, President Trump signed an executive order designed to promote competition in the commercial space industry, ensuring that the United States maintains its leading role in the commercial use of space.
In December 2025, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a bold vision for America First space policy and ensuring that the United States remains the world leader in space exploration, security, and commerce.
In July 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a significant proposed rule to eliminate burdensome environmental reviews of launch infrastructure and enable a commercial renaissance of launches into space.
