Duval Times

Senator Rick Scott, along with Senator John Cornyn and other colleagues, introduced the Licensing Aerospace Units to New Commercial Heights (LAUNCH) Act in an effort to streamline commercial space launches and licensing of private remote sensing space systems or satellites. Speaking about the bill, Senator Scott emphasized the importance of cutting unnecessary red tape to prioritize American businesses and maintain the nation's leadership in space exploration.

Senator Cornyn highlighted the need for the United States to maintain its competitive edge in space, especially in the face of efforts by foreign adversaries like Russia and China. He stressed that the LAUNCH Act aims to streamline the approval process for commercial space launches and reduce regulatory burdens on innovators.

Senator Ben Ray Luján expressed his support for the bipartisan legislation, noting New Mexico's leadership in space exploration and innovation. He emphasized the importance of modernizing regulations to support continued success in the industry.

Senator Marco Rubio underlined the importance of remaining competitive with China in space, stating that the LAUNCH Act will encourage American innovation by cutting unnecessary red tape related to commercial space launches.

Senator Mark Kelly emphasized the need to support innovation and increase competition in the commercial space industry by modernizing regulations, a goal that the LAUNCH Act aims to achieve.

Senator Kyrsten Sinema highlighted the bipartisan nature of the bill, noting its focus on cutting red tape to improve commercial space launches and strengthen America's global leadership in space exploration and innovation.

The LAUNCH Act aims to modernize commercial space regulations to adapt to ongoing technological developments and anticipated industry growth while maintaining safety and reducing bureaucratic burdens. The legislation would require the FAA to streamline the application of regulations for commercial space launches, the U.S. Department of Commerce to streamline licensing of private remote sensing space systems or satellites, and both agencies to provide assistance to applicants navigating the licensing processes.

Endorsed by the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, the LAUNCH Act seeks to ensure that the FAA can efficiently approve launch and reentry operations by multiple companies, ultimately enhancing America's competitive position in the global space industry.