Executive departments and agencies are directed to expedite facility permitting and environmental reviews consistent with Executive Order 14335 of August 13, 2025. The Secretary of War and the Administrator of NASA are directed to operate Federal launch and reentry ranges in a manner that accommodates government and non-government users.

Executive departments and agencies are directed to incentivize co-development of launch and reentry infrastructure through leases, commercial investment, and public-private partnerships on Federal property.

The Secretary of Transportation is directed to implement a plan to integrate space launch and reentry management into airspace and traffic control modernization efforts. The Secretary of Transportation is also directed to designate priority airspace for critical space launch corridors.

The Assistant to the President for Science and Technology must coordinate with relevant agencies to develop and implement a space transportation industrial base strategy within 180 days of the memorandum's date.

Timeline

On August 20, 2026, the President issued National Security Presidential Memorandum NSPM-17. On that same date, the memorandum established a goal for the United States to support more than 1,000 space launches and reentries annually by 2030. Also on August 20, 2026, executive departments and agencies were directed to expedite facility permitting and environmental reviews consistent with Executive Order 14335 of August 13, 2025.

On August 20, 2026, the Secretary of the Interior, in coordination with the Secretary of War, the Secretary of Transportation, and other agencies, was tasked to identify Federal lands to serve as an additional designated Federal land reentry site within 90 days of the memorandum's date. On August 20, 2026, the Secretary of War, in coordination with NASA, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Transportation, and other agencies, was required to develop Federal range scheduling criteria within 180 days of the memorandum's date. On August 20, 2026, the Secretary of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of War and NASA, was required to identify potential locations for additional launch facilities and report findings to the President within 180 days of the memorandum's date.

On August 20, 2026, the Secretary of Transportation was required to evaluate reentry safety criteria to support the development of the designated Federal land reentry site within 180 days of the memorandum's date. On August 20, 2026, the Secretary of War, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation and NASA, was required to evaluate barriers to prompt access to space, including the ability to accommodate accelerated timelines within 48 hours of need, within 180 days of the memorandum's date.

Why It Matters

The memorandum sets a specific quantitative target for national space activity, aiming for more than 1,000 annual launches and reentries by 2030. This goal requires coordinated action across multiple federal departments, including Defense, Commerce, Transportation, and Interior, to reform infrastructure and regulatory processes. The events described span 5 years, from 2025 to 2030, marking a period of adjustment for federal space policy.

The directive mandates the development of new scheduling criteria, the identification of additional launch and reentry sites, and the integration of space traffic management into existing airspace systems. By requiring reports on spectrum access, infrastructure security, and industrial base strategy, the memorandum seeks to align federal resources with the expanded launch cadence. The involvement of agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Homeland Security indicates that the policy extends beyond launch operations to include communications and physical security considerations.