FAA Announces Reduced Airspace Closure for Florida Space Launches

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a new policy that will reduce the amount of airspace it closes for space launches at Florida’s Cape Canaveral, minimizing the impact on commercial flights. The policy took effect in April 2023 and is based on risk analyses conducted for every launch in cooperation with the U.S. Space Force and space launch operators.

The FAA said that more than 80 percent of the Florida launch trajectories are to the east and south, and that sections of airspace to the north that had been traditionally closed for all launches can now remain open during most launches. Within this northern section is the busy overwater route from the northeast to central Florida airports in Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota, among others.

Previously for a typical launch, up to 36 flights were rerouted to congested overland routes, slowing up to 4,300 passengers and resulting in upwards of 300 minutes of delay and 1,500 extra miles flown. These flights can now remain on their most optimal and efficient routes more frequently. For 10 of the 12 launches that have occurred to date since the change took effect, no flights on this route were rerouted.

The FAA said the new policy will enhance its efforts to safely and efficiently integrate space operations into the National Airspace System, which is one of the busiest and most complex in the world. The agency approved 74 launches last year, up from 14 in 2015, as demand for lifting satellites and humans into orbit grows rapidly