U.S. Executive Order 14335 (13 August 2025): Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry - Sec. 5 novel space activity authorization
Executive order directing the Secretary of Commerce to propose an individualized mission authorization process for activities covered by OST Art. VI that no existing U.S. regulatory framework clearly governs. The Office of Space Commerce opened a voluntary, non-binding 'Space Commerce Certification' pilot in August 2026 (expressions of interest due 5 October 2026); participants must independently satisfy any applicable FAA and FCC licensing requirements, and a pilot certification has no direct legal effect. Neither document mentions space resources expressly.
Facts
- Level
- Executive instrument
- Scope
- National
- Country
- United States
- Citation
- Executive Order 14335 of August 13, 2025, 90 FR 40219 (August 19, 2025); OSC notice 91 FR 53849 (August 20, 2026)
- Adopted
- 2025-08-13
- In force
- 2025-08-13
- Status
- In forcePublished at 90 FR 40219; implementing pilot notice at 91 FR 53849 (20 August 2026) states a pilot certification has no direct legal effect.
Dated steps
Treaty actions, signings, notices and drafts recorded as events, newest first.
- 2026-08-20
Office of Space Commerce invites expressions of interest in a voluntary mission authorization pilot under Executive Order 14335
A Federal Register notice (91 FR 53849) invited U.S. operators of novel in-space activities to express interest, by 5 October 2026, in a pilot of the proposed Space Commerce Certification. The pilot is voluntary and non-binding, a certification granted during the pilot has, on its own, no direct legal effect, and participants must still meet FAA and FCC licensing requirements. The notice does not mention space resources.
Sources (5) and evidence gaps
Notice of Mission Authorization Pilot Program
Space operators interested in participating in the SCC framework pilot program must submit expressions of interest no later than October 5, 2026.
This mission authorization pilot process will be voluntary and non- binding on all participants. Grant of an SCC during this pilot phase, on its own, will have no direct legal effect.
participants are still required to independently satisfy all existing regulatory requirements for licensing by the FCC and FAA
Pursuant to Section 5 of Executive Order 14335, ``Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry,'' the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) seeks to implement a streamlined, unified, whole-of- government mission authorization framework for novel in-space activities
- The notice does not say whether resource extraction would count as a novel in-space activity, and no pilot participant or certification has been identified.
Resource provisions
A paraphrase followed by the source wording.
No express resource provision. Relevant because the United States still has no statutory mission authorization process for novel in-space activities such as resource extraction; Sec. 5 directs one to be proposed, and the 2026 pilot is voluntary and without direct legal effect.
the Secretary of Commerce shall propose a process for individualized mission authorizations for activities that are covered by Article VI of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, but not clearly or straightforwardly governed by existing regulatory frameworks [1]
Open evidence gaps
- Whether space resource extraction missions will be treated as 'novel' activities under this process is not stated in either document.
- The saved pilot notice cites a March 2026 'Proposal for Space Commerce Certification Process' that was not read. This review's capture set does not establish whether a proposed or final rule has since been published.
Sources
5 sourcesthe Secretary of Commerce shall propose a process for individualized mission authorizations for activities that are covered by Article VI of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, but not clearly or straightforwardly governed by existing regulatory frameworks
Grant of an SCC during this pilot phase, on its own, will have no direct legal effect.
Space operators interested in participating in the SCC framework pilot program must submit expressions of interest no later than October 5, 2026.
This mission authorization pilot process will be voluntary and non- binding on all participants.
participants are still required to independently satisfy all existing regulatory requirements for licensing by the FCC and FAA
Cite this record
SpaceMiningData, “U.S. Executive Order 14335 (13 August 2025): Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry - Sec. 5 novel space activity authorization”, dataset version a00fa2c68a45, built 2026-11-11, https://spaceminingdata.com/laws/us-eo-14335-2025.html. Record checked 2026-10-05.