US proposes space launch rule changes, vows regulatory overhaul

Washington: The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday it is proposing to streamline regulations for commercial space launches and re-entries and plans a major regulatory overhaul of its space licensing framework next year.

The FAA said it was proposing changes to definitions of when a flight abort isn't mandatory and to clarify requirements and thresholds for when an abort must occur.

The White House wants to enable at least 1,000 launches and re-entries annually by 2030, up from 178 launches last year. That figure is 10 times higher than in 2013 with the activity dominated by Elon Musk's SpaceX.