Washington DC - President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a presidential memorandum unveiling a space policy designed to boost the number of vessels traveling to and from Earth.
In an attempt to "reinvigorate America's leadership in space transportation," Trump's policy is designed to allow more than 1,000 rocket launches and spacecraft reentries per year on American soil by 2030.
It comes as an adjustment to the National Space Transportation Policy (NSTP), which was first introduced by President Bill Clinton in 1994. President Barack Obama was the last to modify it, in 2013.
A fact sheet released by the White House declares that the memorandum "launches the golden age of space transportation" and is meant to modernize "outdated" policies within the NSTP.
"At a time when our adversaries are challenging American space superiority, President Trump is securing and defending our vital national and economic interests in, from, and to space while unlocking new commercial space opportunities," the fact sheet stated.
The memorandum's goals include, but are not limited to, "protecting critical space assets and activities" for the purpose of military readiness and "growing a vibrant commercial space economy."
It directs Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman to prioritize and coordinate investments that optimize launch and reentry capacity.
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios addressed the memorandum, writing in a statement on X that it "meets this moment of explosive growth and positions America to lead the next era of space."
"Most of our launch infrastructure dates back to the 1960s. This Policy catalyzes commercial co-investment to build next-generation launch and reentry sites and designates an additional federal land reentry site to bring operations home," Kratsios said.