Federal Register Comment on FAA Commercial Space Launch and Reentry Waiver – August 2026 – Current

Date: August 24, 2026

AICA’s public comment on the FAA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Waiver of Specified Statutory Requirements for Commercial Space Launch and Reentry Actions, submitted via Docket No. FAA-2026-8614, Notice No. 26-11, FR Doc. 2026-15415.

Items below are numbered from oldest to latest.

1. AICA’s Federal Register Comment on FAA Commercial Space Launch and Reentry Waiver

August 24, 2026 – AICA’s public comment was submitted via Docket No. FAA-2026-8614. The AICA comment includes:

Core Question

• Has the FAA demonstrated that removing requirements under 13 federal environmental and preservation laws would still protect public health and safety, safety of property, communities, and environmental resources?

Key Findings

• The proposed General Waiver would remove safeguards under 13 federal environmental and preservation laws without clear site-specific or operation-specific limits.
• The proposal does not distinguish routine renewals from new sites, major expansions, increased launch frequency, new vehicles or fuels, changed trajectories, or expanded nighttime operations.
• The NPRM focuses on anticipated applicant savings but does not quantify those savings or evaluate broader costs to State, local, and Tribal governments or affected communities.
• Removing action-specific environmental review and consultation could leave risks unidentified before licensing, construction, or operations begin.