Trump Signs Memo to Boost US Commercial Space Launches to 1,000 a Year by 2030

President Donald Trump signed a memo Thursday aimed at significantly expanding US commercial space launch activity, directing federal agencies to identify government land suitable for new launch and re-entry sites. The White House is targeting at least 1,000 annual launches and re-entries by 2030, up sharply from 178 last year.

Streamlining Growth for Private Space Companies

The memo instructs agencies to speed up permitting and environmental reviews, encourage co-development of launch infrastructure with private companies, and ensure sufficient wireless spectrum access for space operations. It also calls for identifying a new federal re-entry site within 90 days and prioritizing airspace corridors for launches.

Moon and Mars Ambitions Included

Trump renewed his push to return American astronauts to the Moon by 2028, directing NASA to support commercial transportation efforts to the Moon and robotic missions to Mars. White House science and technology policy director Michael Kratsios described the plan as a “commercial-first approach” intended to strengthen national security launch capabilities while enabling early Moon Base development by 2030.

The announcement comes as SpaceX continues to dominate the commercial launch industry, having conducted 170 launches in 2025 alone.