FAA seeks public input on priority airspace for space launches

The Federal Aviation Administration is asking the public and industry for input on how so-called priority airspace for space launch corridors should be defined and operated. The 60-day comment period began this week.

The idea comes from the 2026 National Space Transportation Policy. The FAA has not yet settled on an operational definition of these corridors, nor decided which launches would qualify for priority handling.

Launch operators already coordinate with the agency to set up Aircraft Hazard Areas, zones meant to keep aircraft clear of rockets and falling debris during launches. Because a small number of spaceports account for most U.S. launch activity, similar hazard areas tend to recur in the same places. The agency said it does not currently use the term