China’s ambition to control space, at the expense of the United States, is no longer a secret. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has openly declared its intentions, echoed by numerous warnings from our own intelligence community. A 2021 declassified report from the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) bluntly stated that China aims to become a world-leading space power, surpassing the US by 2045. The report detailed China’s rapid progress across all space technology sectors, predicting near-world-class status by 2030 in almost every area.
This isn’t just aspirational rhetoric; it’s a stark reality. In 2021 and 2022, China’s orbital launches outnumbered those of the United States. This aggressive pursuit isn’t simply about exploration; it’s about military dominance. China has explicitly designated space as a new warfare domain, developing advanced technologies to support this ambition. A prime example is their 2021 demonstration of a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile, which performed a low-earth orbit flight before striking its target with pinpoint accuracy.
This capability presents a direct threat to American satellites and assets in space, allowing for potential destruction or pervasive surveillance. Although the US has since regained the lead in orbital launches, complacency would be disastrous. We face a critical challenge, further exacerbated by an unexpected ally to China’s ambitions: America’s own regulatory system, primarily the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The FAA’s cumbersome and often slow approval processes have significantly hampered American space initiatives. Congressman Brian Babin, the incoming Chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, highlighted this critical issue, particularly focusing on Part 450 regulations governing commercial launches and re-entries. While designed to expedite licensing, Part 450 has instead created significant delays, with many applications taking years to process. These delays impact launch schedules, hinder NASA missions, and significantly undermine our ability to compete with China.
Representative-elect Mike Haridopolos, representing Florida’s 8th Congressional District (home to the Kennedy Space Center), has pledged to make revitalizing America’s space competitiveness his top priority. His three-pronged approach involves: (1) Legislative reform of Title 51 to streamline Part 450 implementation, addressing the FAA’s inefficient licensing process; (2) Requiring all remote FAA workers to return to the office, enhancing efficiency and productivity; (3) Realigning job duties to focus on license approvals, eliminating work on areas outside the FAA’s congressional mandate. Additionally, the potential integration of the principles of a Department of Government Efficiency, as advocated by figures like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, alongside the new SpARC committee, could provide essential recommendations to Congress for enacting decisive action.
The challenge is clear: America’s regulatory burdens are inadvertently aiding China’s pursuit of space dominance. This is not merely a technological race; it is a battle for national security and global influence. However, the incoming Congress, coupled with the commitment of President-elect Donald Trump, signals a new era of focused action to overcome these challenges and secure America’s continued leadership in space for the next century. The fight to regain and maintain this crucial advantage has begun.
