Donald Trump Environmental rules are being relaxed for commercial spacecraft companies. exist Executive Order He signed on Wednesday titled “Realizing competition in the commercial space industry,” and he said national security must increase the private rocket industry to “substantively” by 2030.
Under the executive order, this means that these companies may be able to waive the environmental reviews required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Private space companies must obtain a release license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Moreover, as part of the process, companies should review it under the National Environmental Policy Act.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy oversees the FAA, Called Trump’s executive order is “foresighted”.
The FAA faces criticism from space companies that it takes too long to review the launch permit, while environmental groups slam the agency for not using NEPA comments to require more protection at launch sites.
These environmental comments are needed because rocket launches, landings can cause great damage to local towns and residents and the natural environment. The exhaust, smoke plumes and sound booms produced during launch can hurt and kill endangered species, while debris from explosive rocket parts returning to Earth can damage fish and marine animals and carry dangerous spills of substances, slippery fuel and drops.
Trump’s executive order seems to benefit particularly Elon Musk And his company SpaceX. SpaceX has Seeking to increase rocket launches and landings across the country. The company involved lawsuits filed by environmental organizations in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act; they said the FAA did not have a thorough environmental assessment of SpaceX’s impact on endangered species.
The lawsuit examines the first launch of the SpaceX large-scale Starship rocket in Texas in April 2023. The spacecraft aims to arrive at Mars one day, crushing its launch pad during takeoff, allowing large chunks of concrete to fly 6 miles (10 kilometers) away. The explosion ignited a grass fire, burning nearly 4 acres (1.5 hectares) of state parks, and, as we all know, destroyed a pile of bob white quail eggs and a pile of blue land crabs.
“This reckless order puts people and wildlife at risk from private companies launching giant rockets that often explode and cause damage in the surrounding areas,” said Jared Margolis, a senior attorney for the Center for Biodiversity, one of the groups that filed the lawsuit.
“Bending knees to strong companies by allowing federal agencies to ignore bedrock environmental laws is very dangerous and makes us all harmful in harm’s way,” Margolis added. “It’s obviously not in the public interest.”
The FAA announced it has allowed SpaceX’s license to increase its Starship launch in Texas from five to 25 per year. SpaceX has been looking for it Added release From the smaller Falcon Rockets at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, 50 to 95 per year.
Trump’s executive order will promote accelerated review processes to obtain these and other launch permits. Together with SpaceX, the order will benefit commercial space companies such as Jeff Bezos’ Blue Horizon, which also aims to increase rocket launches.
The White House touted the order on Wednesday The latest “relaxation action” Reform the National Environmental Policy Law and eliminate the “heavy DEI requirements”.
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A wellness enthusiast and certified nutrition advisor, Meera covers everything from healthy living tips to medical breakthroughs. Her articles aim to inform and inspire readers to live better every day.
