The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will impose restrictions on commercial rocket launches due to the pressure on the air traffic control system amid the government shutdown. An emergency directive released on Friday indicates that commercial space launches and reentries will be confined to nighttime, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time, beginning Monday. This curfew is part of efforts to alleviate stress on the National Airspace System. The directive also directs airlines at 40 major U.S. airports to reduce flights by up to 10 percent to mitigate system pressure.
Air traffic controllers have not been compensated since the shutdown commenced in early October, resulting in increased worker absences and significant flight delays. “Our primary concern is safety, not politics,” stated Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who is also the acting NASA administrator, in a statement. “Flying is secure today and will stay secure next week due to our preemptive actions.”
Duffy, active on social media, frequently attributes the shutdown’s consequences to Democrats. He shared a video on Friday addressing the reductions with air travelers. Limitations on commercial space launches are infrequent and may impact upcoming missions. The first mission affected by the limitation is a SpaceX Falcon 9 flight carrying Starlink satellites, which is now scheduled for Monday evening or early Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch, which is set to carry twin Mars spacecraft for NASA, is scheduled for Sunday, before the restrictions take effect; any delay could push it into the restricted period. “We are collaborating with the FAA to ensure that New Glenn’s Mars mission launch goes ahead,” the company stated in a post on X. “We will keep working with the FAA to uphold airspace safety and efficiency.”
The FAA can modify or revoke restrictions if companies provide “good cause,” according to the directive. The agency intends to lift the curfew and other limitations once government funding is reinstated and pressure is reduced.