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FAA Lifts Restrictions on Commercial Launches After Government Shutdown
17 Nov
Summary
- FAA canceled order that limited commercial launches to 10 pm-6 am
- Order had biggest impact on SpaceX's Transporter-15 mission, now rescheduled
- FAA able to grant waivers, like for Blue Origin's New Glenn launch
In November 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has lifted restrictions on the timing of commercial launches that were put in place due to the government shutdown's impact on airspace management.
The FAA had issued an emergency order 10 days earlier that limited commercial launches at U.S. spaceports to between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. local time. This was prompted by rising absenteeism among air traffic controllers who had not been paid since early October because of the shutdown.
However, the FAA has now canceled this order, stating that the steady decline in staffing concerns across the National Airspace System has allowed a return to normal operations. This means commercial launches can now take place at any time of day, rather than being restricted to overnight hours.
The order had its biggest impact on SpaceX's Transporter-15 rideshare mission, which was originally scheduled for 10:18 a.m. local time on November 11th but had to be postponed to November 19th. Other Falcon 9 and Atlas 5 missions were also shifted to late-night launch windows to comply with the temporary restrictions.
