FAA Streamlines Commercial Space License Approvals

March 17, 2026

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is supporting American commercial space innovation by streamlining the launch and reentry licensing process.

All licensing will now occur under the Part 450 rule, which consolidates four old rules into one. 

It provides more flexibility and more methods of compliance, reducing the administrative and cost burdens on industry and the FAA.

“We’re pleased to have flight-ready operators and vehicles successfully transition to a performance-based rule that unlocks flexibility while maintaining safety for the public,” said Dr. Minh A. Nguyen, Deputy Associate Administrator for the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation.  

The FAA issued the Part 450 rule during the first Trump administration as commercial space operations started to rapidly grow. For five years, the old and new regulations were in effect simultaneously to provide a transition period for operators to obtain a Part 450 license.  

Part 450 reduces the number of times an operator needs an FAA license approval and allows one license for a portfolio of operations, different vehicle configurations and mission profiles, and even multiple launch and reentry sites. 

Operators that transitioned legacy licenses by the March 9, 2026, deadline include Blue Origin New Shepard, Firefly Aerospace Alpha, SpaceX Falcon 9 / Falcon Heavy and Dragon, Rocket Lab Electron, and United Launch Alliance Atlas and Vulcan. 

The FAA has issued 14 Part 450 licenses since the rule took effect in March 2021. View all licenses here.