Trump orders push to expand US space launches to more than 1,000 a year by 2030

US President Donald Trump signed a memorandum Thursday aimed at expanding America's space transportation industry and enabling more than 1,000 launches and reentries from US soil annually by 2030.

The memorandum replaces an outdated National Space Transportation Policy with a new approach focused on increasing access to space, expanding private-sector participation and strengthening the US space transportation industrial base, according to a fact sheet by the White House.

The order directs federal agencies to work with private companies to develop space transportation infrastructure, speed up permitting and environmental reviews, and improve the scheduling and use of launch ranges.

It also calls for the identification of additional launch and reentry sites and the designation of priority airspace for space launch corridors.

The memorandum directs the NASA administrator to facilitate commercial transportation to and from the Moon, support commercial robotic missions to Mars and explore commercial options for transporting humans to and from Mars.

According to the fact sheet, the expansion is intended to strengthen US national and economic security while creating opportunities for commercial space companies and aerospace manufacturing.

The White House said increasing launch capacity would also support military readiness, satellite communications, navigation and timing services, weather forecasting and other space-based technologies.