In Executive Order 14335, “Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry,” President Trump directed the Department of Commerce to develop a process to authorize commercial activities in space not clearly or straightforwardly governed by existing regulations – everything from satellite servicing to commercial space stations and manufacturing on the Moon. 

On July 23, 2026, the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) announced that it is moving forward with the “Space Commerce Certification” authorization framework for novel in-space activities.

The Office of Space Commerce’s “Space Commerce Certification” can get companies to “yes” with predictability and speed, allowing them to swiftly explore new technologies and missions to bring benefits to the American economy. Our certification process expedites and streamlines today’s laborious and sometimes duplicative system for regulating the commercial space industry with a consolidated space commerce certification process. 

The certification achieves this by bringing together all government agencies with space regulatory authority or space equities into a unified process, featuring a single application and interagency review process. While CRSRA, the FAA, and FCC retain their statutory obligations and applicants may still need separate legal permission from those agencies, the process to obtain those permissions and requirements can be coordinated through this consolidated, whole of government process.

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Additional/Archived Resources:

In March 2026, OSC’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, Gabriel Swiney, sat down with the Center for Space Policy & Strategy for an in-depth discussion on the Office of Space Commerce’s proposal for “space mission authorization,” the thinking behind the concept, and how OSC envisions it supporting the U.S. commercial space sector.

• All Systems Go: OSC Moves Out on “Space Commerce Certification” (Web post, July 2026)
• July 2026 House Space Subcommittee hearing on Mission Authorization (Web post, July 2026)
• OSC Discusses Mission Authorization on the “Space Policy Show” (Web post, April 2026)
• OSC Releases Updated “Mission Authorization” Proposal (Web post, March 2026)
• December 2025 stakeholder briefing: E.O. 14335 on Mission Authorization Stakeholder Overview Presentation (.PDF)
• OSC Seeks Stakeholder Feedback on Draft “Mission Authorization” Concept (Web post, December 2025)
• President Trump Signs Executive Order to Enable Competition in the Commercial Space Industry (Web post, August 2025)

Disclaimer:

The Office of Space Commerce prepared this document in response to E.O. 14335’s direction to propose a process for individualized mission authorizations. The Office is releasing this proposal on its website to increase government transparency and to encourage early public input. This document is not meant to be binding on the public or the agency.