The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed restrictions on private space launches. From November 10, they can only be carried out between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. local time. The measure is provided for in the Emergency Order on Restrictions on the Use of Airspace, adopted on November 6.
The FAA’s decision appears to be related to the difficult situation caused by the federal government shutdown, which has been ongoing since October 1. During this time, air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration employees have been working without pay. This led to a shortage of staff, which in turn caused widespread flight delays across the country. As a result, the FAA required airlines to reduce the number of flights by 10% at the 40 busiest US airports.
Now, the problems associated with the shutdown have reached the space industry. To reduce the burden on air traffic controllers, the FAA has imposed severe restrictions on commercial orbital launches. On November 10, they may only be conducted between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. A similar restriction applies to private spacecraft returning from space to Earth.
The FAA ban will primarily affect SpaceX. In 2025 (as of November 6), the company has conducted 142 space launches. This is more than all other public and private launch operators in the world combined.
It appears that restrictions on commercial launches will remain in place at least until the shutdown ends. However, it is currently impossible to predict when exactly that will be.Earlier, we discussed how the shutdown could have led to the termination of the Juno mission.
