Licensing & regulatory updates
Recent Federal Register documents from the FAA, FCC, NOAA and Commerce that mention commercial space, satellites, launch/reentry or remote sensing. Pulled from the Federal Register API on 18 Oct 2026, 06:48 PT, covering items since 20 Jun 2026. Filtered by keyword — some items may be only loosely relevant to smallsat teams; summaries are the agencies' own abstracts.
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS), Open Public Scoping Period, and Hold Public Scoping Meetings on the Proposed SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy Launch and Landing Operations at the Boca Chica Launch Site at Starbase, Texas and Expansion of Starship Landing and Expenditure Locations
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) and FAA Order 1050.1G, FAA National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures, FAA is announcing its intent to prepare a PEIS analyzing Space Exploration Technologies Corp.'s (SpaceX) proposal to increase Starship-Super Heavy operations at the Boca Chica Launch Site at Starbase, TX and expand Starship landing and expenditure lo…
Overpressure Blast Effects Analysis Burden Reducing Clarification
FAA proposes to amend its commercial space launch and reentry licensing regulations to streamline the licensing process and reduce regulatory burden for license applicants. Specifically, FAA proposes to amend the regulations to state that a far-field overpressure blast effects analysis required for license applicants does not need to account for members of the public in hypothetical locations.
Lightning Hazard Mitigation Burden-Reducing Exception
FAA proposes to amend its commercial space launch and reentry licensing regulations to streamline the licensing process and reduce regulatory burden for license applicants. Specifically, FAA proposes to add an exception for compliance with lightning hazard mitigation requirements for certain licensed launch and reentry operations.
Streamlining Flight Safety Analysis Methodology Means of Compliance
FAA proposes to amend its commercial space launch and reentry licensing regulations to streamline the licensing process. Specifically, FAA proposes to alleviate regulatory burden for license applicants by consolidating information required for an operator's flight safety analysis.
Digital Modernization for Licensing Electronic Application Submissions
FAA proposes to amend its commercial space launch and reentry licensing regulations to allow for submission of license and permit applications and requests for waivers, alternative time frames, and safety element approvals through additional electronic methods.
Simplifying Physical Containment Requirements
FAA proposes to amend its commercial space launch and reentry licensing regulations to streamline the licensing process and reduce regulatory burden on operators. Specifically, FAA proposes to relieve the burden by specifying that, when using physical containment as a hazard control strategy, operators do not need to develop flight hazard areas in accordance with FAA's existing flight hazard area analysis requirement…
Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) and Open a Public Scoping Period for the SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy Operations at Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), FAA Order 1050.1G, FAA National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures, and Department of War (DoW) and Department of the Air Force (DAF) NEPA Implementing Procedures, FAA is announcing its intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) concerning Space Exploration Technologies Corp.'s (SpaceX) propo…
Unleashing Unlicensed Spectrum for Direct-to-Device
The Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) issues a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposes to expand opportunities for direct-to-device (D2D) communications by permitting certain unlicensed devices to communicate with satellites on a non-interference basis. Building on recent market growth and new industry investment in D2D technologies, the NPRM explores adding satellite allocations in specific unlice…
Siting New Spaceports and Use of Priority Airspace for Critical Space Launch Corridors
Under the leadership of President Trump and at the direction of Secretary Duffy and Administrator Bedford, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are pursuing opportunities to ensure the United States global dominance in the commercial space transportation industry. The FAA is issuing this RFI to solicit public and industry input on two key transportation- related el…
Notice of Mission Authorization Pilot Program
Pursuant to Section 5 of Executive Order 14335, "Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry," the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) seeks to implement a streamlined, unified, whole-of- government mission authorization framework for novel in-space activities. To refine this proposed Space Commerce Certification (SCC) framework, OSC is inviting expressions of interest from U.S. entities in participating in a pi…
Upper C-Band (3.98-4.2 GHz); Expanding Flexible Use of the 3.7 to 4.2 GHz Band
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopted a Report and Order, Order of Proposed Modification, and Order on Reconsideration (Order), that expands the ecosystem for next-generation wireless services in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band (C-band) by making 160 megahertz of the 3.98-4.2 GHz band (Upper C- band) available for terrestrial wireless flexible use. This action is pursuant to Congress' dire…
Waiver of Specified Statutory Requirements for Commercial Space Launch and Reentry Actions
FAA proposes to amend its commercial space licensing regulations to streamline the licensing process and reduce regulatory burden for applicants. Specifically, FAA proposes to invoke the Secretary of Transportation's statutory authority to waive requirements of laws of the U.S. for a license or permit, after consultation with the head of the appropriate executive agency, when the requirement is not necessary to prote…
Agency Advisory Circular: AC 413.5-1 Pre-Application Consultation and Lifecycle Overview for Licenses and Permits
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is solicitating public comment on draft advisory circular (AC) for Pre-Application Consultation and Lifecycle Overview for Licenses and Permits. This Advisory Circular (AC) assists prospective applicants in obtaining commercial space authorizations from FAA and provides guidance for operating in compliance with FAA commercial space in accordance with title 14 of the Code of F…
Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewed Approval of Information Collection: Human Space Flight Requirements for Crew/Space Flight Participants
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public to make public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on March 23, 2026. The information for this collection is mandatory. …
Primary regulator pages
- FAA AST — Launch/reentry licenses, Part 450 rulemakings: https://www.faa.gov/space/licenses
- FCC Space Bureau — Satellite licensing, rulemakings, approved space stations: https://www.fcc.gov/space
- NOAA CRSRA (Office of Space Commerce) — Commercial remote sensing licensing: https://space.commerce.gov/regulations/commercial-remote-sensing-regulatory-affairs/