Government Contracts Intelligence Briefing

In the span of five days in late August 2026, the federal government moved on four fronts to accelerate US space transportation capacity: a new presidential policy directive, a novel “mission authorization” pilot program, a formal request for information on siting new spaceports and creating priority launch airspace, and an Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proceeding aimed at freeing up spectrum for launch operations. Taken together, these actions signal a coordinated, whole-of-government push and a wave of new contracting, licensing, and compliance activity that government contractors, from launch providers to infrastructure builders to spectrum users, should be tracking closely.

NSPM-17: A New National Space Transportation Policy

On August 20, 2026, President Trump issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 17 (NSPM-17), the “National Space Transportation Policy,” superseding Presidential Policy Directive 26 from 2013. The policy sets an ambitious goal: by 2030, US space transportation ranges must support more than 1,000 launches and reentries per year, which is a dramatic increase from the roughly 200 launch activities the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports occur annually today.

For contractors, the policy translates into a series of concrete, deadline-driven agency actions, including:

• A Department of War—NASA-led effort to publish federal range scheduling criteria and range schedules within 180 days to maximize commercial access to federal launch and reentry facilities.
• A DOT-led effort, in coordination with Commerce and other agencies, to identify new launch facility locations and designate priority airspace for critical space launch corridors within 180 days.
• A Commerce/FCC directive to ensure reliable spectrum access for launch, reentry, recovery, and on-orbit activities, with periodic reporting to the White House.
• A “Buy American” expectation for US Government payloads and launch services, with narrow exceptions for no-exchange-of-funds international agreements, secondary science payloads, and hosted payloads.
• Directives to favor commercial launch services for government needs, avoid government activities that compete with commercial providers (absent safety or national security justification), and coordinate government space transportation acquisitions to maximize shared requirements and buying power.
• A forthcoming space transportation industrial base strategy, to be developed within 180 days, addressing workforce development, military transition pathways, and supply chain resilience.

Contractors supporting launch, range operations, or in-space transportation should watch for the range scheduling criteria, spectrum report, and industrial base strategy as each will shape near-term acquisition opportunities and competitive dynamics.

The Space Commerce Certification Pilot: A New Path to “Mission Authorization”

On the same day, the Office of Space Commerce (OSC), acting under Section 5 of Executive Order 14335 (“Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry”), published a Federal Register notice seeking expressions of interest in a pilot phase for its proposed Space Commerce Certification (SCC) framework. The SCC is intended to provide a streamlined, whole-of-government mission authorization pathway for novel in-space activities that are not clearly governed by existing regulatory frameworks (such as think on-orbit servicing, in-space manufacturing, and other non-traditional missions that fall outside traditional FCC and FAA licensing lanes).

• Expressions of interest are due to OSC by October 5, 2026, and must include entity/citizenship information, a mission concept and timeline, and a commitment to collaborate transparently with OSC on best practices.
• OSC will coordinate the pilot with the FAA, FCC, Department of War, State Department, and NASA.
• Participation is voluntary and non-binding, and an SCC issued during the pilot carries no direct legal effect, but OSC envisions the SCC eventually being used as a basis for satisfying or waiving certain FCC orbital-debris-mitigation requirements or streamlining portions of FAA payload reviews.

For contractors developing novel space missions, this is a low-risk opportunity to help shape a regulatory framework that could materially reduce authorization timelines down the road (though companies should recognize that, for now, existing FCC and FAA licensing obligations remain fully in force regardless of SCC participation).

FAA’s RFI on Spaceport Siting and Priority Launch Corridors

On August 25, 2026, the FAA published a Request for Information (Docket No. FAA-2026-9736) implementing two specific NSTP 2026 taskings: identifying potential new spaceport locations and designing “critical space launch corridors,” a concept with no current regulatory definition. Comments are due October 26, 2026.

The RFI is notable for how far it goes in soliciting industry input on genuinely contested siting questions, including revisiting previously stalled proposals such as Spaceport Shiloh (Florida), Camden Spaceport (Georgia), and a Puerto Rico spaceport, as well as unconventional concepts like launch platforms converted from oil rigs. Key questions posed to industry include:

• What siting criteria such as geography, population proximity, overflight of foreign territory, and public safety risk thresholds should govern new spaceport selection?
• Why existing FAA-licensed commercial spaceports remain underutilized, and what federal action could change that.
• What funding models, including public-private partnerships through DOT’s newly established National Infrastructure Development Office, could finance new spaceport development.
• How “critical space launch corridors” should relate to existing Aircraft Hazard Areas, and what governance structures (fees, operational restrictions, prioritization rules) should apply.

Contractors in aerospace infrastructure, engineering and construction, airspace management technology, and launch services have a real opportunity here to influence siting criteria and corridor governance before they are formalized and should consider submitting comments given the compressed 60-day window.

FCC Seeks Comment on Spectrum Access for Launch and Reentry

Rounding out the week, the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Office of Engineering and Technology, and Space Bureau released a Public Notice (DA 26-887, ET Docket No. 13-115, RM-12025) on August 25, 2026, seeking comment on how to expand reliable spectrum access for launch and reentry operations in line with NSPM-17. Comments are due September 14, 2026, and reply comments September 24, 2026 which is a notably fast turnaround.

• Current non-federal launch and reentry spectrum access is limited to 215 MHz across three bands (2025–2110 MHz, 2200–2290 MHz, and 2360–2395 MHz) allocated under the 2024 Launch Communications Act, all on a secondary basis requiring pre-launch coordination with NTIA and industry coordinators.
• The FCC is asking whether additional bands should be allocated, whether space launch spectrum rights should be elevated from secondary to co-primary or primary status, and how coordination timelines should adapt to higher launch cadence.
• The notice also folds in a pending Commercial Space Federation petition (RM-12025) seeking a rulemaking on updated coordination processes in the 1435–1535 MHz, 2360–2395 MHz, and 5091–5150 MHz bands.
• The proceeding is a “permit-but-disclose” ex parte proceeding, meaning contractors engaging with FCC staff must file written summaries of meetings within two business days.

Launch providers, satellite communications contractors, and companies operating uncrewed surface vessels or uncrewed aircraft systems in support of launch and recovery operations should evaluate whether to file comments, particularly given the short comment window and the FCC’s explicit interest in near-, medium-, and long-term spectrum planning.

What This Means for Government Contractors

• Multiple, fast-moving comment and expression-of-interest deadlines: October 5 (OSC pilot), September 14/24 (FCC), and October 26 (FAA RFI) create a compressed window to help shape frameworks that will govern this sector for years.
• The NSTP’s “Buy American” launch services directive and its preference for commercial providers over competing government activities could reshape teaming strategies and subcontracting opportunities across the launch supply chain.
• New infrastructure funding mechanisms, including public-private partnerships through DOT's National Infrastructure Development Office, may open non-traditional contracting and financing pathways for spaceport development.
• Companies pursuing novel in-space missions should weigh early engagement with the SCC pilot against the reality that it creates no binding legal protections during this phase.
• Spectrum-dependent operations including USV and UAS support activities tied to launch and recovery should assess exposure to potential changes in coordination requirements and band allocations.

What’s Next?

Expect a cascade of implementing actions over the next six to eight months: federal range scheduling criteria and industrial base strategy (both due within 180 days of NSPM-17), a Commerce/FCC spectrum access report to the White House (also within 180 days), and FAA and FCC rulemakings informed by the current RFI and spectrum proceeding. We will continue to monitor these developments and their implications for space transportation contractors, infrastructure developers, and spectrum users.