I’ve said it before that the FAA needs to step aside and let innovation move forward. I know the FAA is supposed to be looking out for the American people, but who is protecting the American people from the FAA? Up steps Elon Musk’s SpaceX to argue in front of a Senate hearing this week to “urge Congress to streamline regulations and increase the number of Federal Aviation Administration staffers devoted to issuing space launch licenses.”
To put it in context the FAA’s budget for 2023 was $15.2 billion. Elon Musk is quoted as saying that Starship will cost the company between $5 billion and $10 billion to develop. It’s estimated that SpaceX’s Starlink is worth around $75 billion dollars, and to think that only a few years ago the service didn’t exist at all and still wouldn’t today if SpaceX hadn’t developed their Falcon rockets than can land be be reused, thus cutting the cost to launch them again into space carrying Starlink satellites. These are big numbers that will lead to even bigger inventions and innovations. It’s time for the FAA to step aside and let innovation move forward.