What Happened
Agency Drops Cap On Flights Passing Through Higher Risk Areas
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has changed its policy governing the risks commercial aircraft face from falling rocket debris, removing a limit on the number of flights that may pass through certain higher-risk areas around space launches and re-entries. The change comes as commercial space operations are expected to grow rapidly, particularly with SpaceX’s plans to increase Starship launches. The policy shift has prompted concern among airline pilots and safety advocates, who argue that accommodating more launches should not mean accepting greater risk to passengers and crews. This development was first reported by Aerospace Global News.