OPINION:
When you think about space travel, I’m guessing you think about NASA, the International Space Station, SpaceX, or even Star Trek before you think about the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Believe it or not, the FAA isn’t strictly airplanes; it’s an integral part of space travel. The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation licenses, permits, and approves the processes and operations of launch and reentry. Without the FAA, America’s cutting-edge commercial space flight industry wouldn’t be possible.
From the time Alan Shepard piloted his Mercury spacecraft on a 15-minute, suborbital flight to John Glenn’s orbiting of the Earth, to President John F. Kennedy’s enduring vision about the boldness of the American spirit and a new frontier of space exploration and innovation that separated us from everyone else in the world, Americans have been fascinated by space travel. Since the 1960s, America has been a leading innovator in space technology; first through government leadership, and now through partnerships with American entrepreneurs in commercial space launches. But to continue our legacy of space dominance, we need the FAA to be as nimble as the commercial space industry.
In 2002, with the hopes of revolutionizing an industry desperate for vision and inspiration, Elon Musk founded SpaceX. The United Launch Alliance, Rocket Lab, Firefly, Blue Origin, and others followed, transforming a solely government function and privatizing it in a manner consistent with our free enterprise system one in which the best ideas, technology, and leadership win and inspire others to do the same.
But that vision, sadly, sometimes confronts an unprepared bureaucracy. In fiscal year (FY) 2015, the FAA only licensed and permitted fourteen launch and reentry operations. The nascent industry just didn’t require much more. Only nine years later, however, the FAA is up to 104 launch and reentry operations so far in FY24. FAA’s predictions for the next few years show tremendous growth, with possible high marks ranging from 172 launch and reentries in FY25 to 338 in FY28. I hope it’s even more than we’re predicting today.
As commercial space operators continue demonstrating an ability to safely and adequately operate in a manner consistent with FAA regulations and laws, the government needs to streamline permitting processes so that they aren’t repetitive or creating needless delays. Right now, a commercial space company must apply for a permit for each launch, even if every technical aspect is the same as a previously approved launch. That makes no sense. The FAA should be spending its time on ensuring that new aspects of the launch any variations to the launch are carefully considered; not wasting precious time and energy on aspects that are proven safe and effective.
This is especially important given the Government Accountability Office’s recent report showing that the FAA needs to work on recruiting specialists in space logistics to work with it on this emerging new industry. While I don’t doubt the expertise of those scientists working with the government’s private-sector partners, the FAA needs to have more experts on its payroll to ensure the safety of those on board the vehicles and those on the ground. This is going to take investments by the commercial space industry and by the FAA, as well as a commitment to partnering with one another to keep safety at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
Modernizing the FAA in this manner shouldn’t be difficult, but it should be a bipartisan effort across Congress. Just as commercial space companies have endured and shown the greatness of American ingenuity and vision, the federal government should likewise demonstrate a similar commitment that could last for generations to come.
• Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., represents the First District of Arkansas. Since coming to Congress in 2011, he has voiced the concerns of his district while bringing solutions to the national table. Crawford is the second most senior Republican on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and currently serves as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. He is also on the Aviation subcommittee and has most recently worked to pass a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization.
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