Max Q: SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic speak on space regulations

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In this issue:

  • Three leading space companies agree: No new regulations on human spaceflight

  • News from Varda Space and more

Three leading space companies agree: No new regulations on human spaceflight

Three leading space companies told Congress this week that the industry needs time to mature before federal regulators introduce new safety guidelines for human spaceflight — but that existing regulatory processes for launch are in dire need of improvement.

Blue Origin, SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, as well as two industry experts, also emphasized that the FAA would need more funding to deal with launch licenses and to enforce regulations — at least double, SpaceX’s VP of build and flight reliability Bill Gerstenmaier told lawmakers. Representatives repeatedly stated that they wanted regulations to be more “streamlined” across regulatory agencies, which often span federal, state and even more local jurisdictions. Gerstenmaier said that Starship has been ready for its next flight test “for more than a month,” and that it was just waiting on the multiple agencies for their reviews.

Starship water deluge test
Starship water deluge test

Image Credits: SpaceX (opens in a new window)

More news from across TC

Urban sky earth imaging balloon
Urban sky earth imaging balloon

Image Credits: Urban Sky

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