SENATE COMMERCE HEARING ON COMMERCIAL HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT REGULATION, October 2023

The Space and Science Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing on October 18, 2023 to discuss the future of commercial human spaceflight regulation.

Industry and other private sector witnesses argued that Congress should extend the “learning period” now in effect that prevents the FAA from promulgating new regulations while the industry is still in its early stages.  SpaceX’s Bill Gerstenmaier also emphasized that current regulations are slowing the development of SpaceX’s Starship system. They are awaiting a license from the FAA to conduct their second test flight, but the process is slow especially because agencies other than the FAA, like the Fish and Wildlife Service, are also involved because of environmental regulations.

SpacePolicyOnline.com published a summary of the hearing on October 18, 2023: SpaceX Warns Government Regulations Slowing Starship, Could Let China Get Ahead.