The leaders of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee have requested an independent review of the FAA’s licensing of launch and reentry amid complaints that the process moves too slowly.
Reps. Brian Babin (R-TX) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), the panel’s chairman and ranking member, sent a letter this week to the comptroller general asking the GAO to investigate how the government evaluates commercial launch and reentry applications, with a special spotlight on the FAA’s Part 450 regulations.
“We’ve had complaints from launchers that they can’t get timely licensing for their permits to launch, so we definitely want to monitor the FAA’s progress in improving its licensing process for launch and reentry,” Babin told Payload. “We’re especially concerned with the implementation of Part 450, and whether it’s being carried out in a timely manner.”
How we got here: Part 450 was unveiled in 2020 as the FAA’s answer to Space Policy Directive 2, which directed the Transportation Department to streamline its launch licensing process for commercial companies.
However, soon after it was announced, industry criticized the rule, arguing that it actually made the licensing process slower and more cumbersome—a charge that quickly caught lawmakers’ attention.
FAA officials have argued that they need more resources to handle the influx of paperwork as the US commercial launch cadence takes off. The agency also launched an aerospace rulemaking committee, or SpARC, last year to get industry input and address complaints about the regulations.
Nitty gritty: The letter asks the GAO to specifically answer a handful of questions, including:
- Whether the FAA has established clear processes and definitions for Part 450
- How long it takes to receive a yes or no from the FAA from a company’s first interaction
- If the FAA’s existing organization is slowing down the consideration process
- How the agency coordinates with other agencies, including state and local offices
- What the FAA is planning to improve Part 450 on its own
- Recommendations to boost efficiency
