FAA Finalizes Move to Part 450 for All U.S. Commercial Launches and Reentries
The performance-based rule aims to cut paperwork by allowing one license to span more missions, vehicle types, across multiple launch or reentry sites.
Overview
- The FAA said on March 17 that all launch and reentry licensing now occurs under Part 450, with legacy-rule applications no longer accepted after the March 9 transition deadline.
- Part 450 consolidates Parts 415, 417, 431, and 435 into a single performance-based framework intended to reduce administrative burden and costs while maintaining public safety standards.
- Major operators completed transitions before the cutoff, including SpaceX’s Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Dragon, Blue Origin’s New Shepard, Firefly’s Alpha, Rocket Lab’s Electron, and ULA’s Atlas and Vulcan.
- Since Part 450 took effect in 2021, the FAA has issued 14 licenses, as commercial activity accelerates following a record FY25 with more than 200 licensed operations and 93 already in FY26.
- Demand and oversight tensions persist, with industry citing licensing delays and safety advocates pointing to FAA approvals after Starship mishaps as grounds for continued scrutiny.