FAA issues a launch curfew due to the shutdown
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today issued a launch curfew that will ban all launches and re-entries from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm local time.
Accordingly, with respect to commercial space launches and reentries, under the authority provided to the FAA Administrator by 49 U.S.C. §§ 40103, 40113, and 46105(c), and authority delegated to the FAA Administrator under 51 U.S.C. § 50909(a), it is hereby ordered that, beginning at 6:00 a.m. EST on November 10, 2025, and until this Order is cancelled, Commercial space launches and reentries will only be permitted between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. local time.
It appears the curfew has been imposed because of a shortage of air traffic controllers due to the government shutdown. Each launch needs to be coordinated with air traffic control, and it appears the FAA won’t have the people it needs to do this during the day. This is part of the overall 10% reduction in flights at forty of the busiest airports nationwide imposed at the same time, also due to the shutdown.
This order is going to probably impact planned launches by SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and others, with SpaceX likely affected the most.
Note: I got the curfew times backwards initially, and was corrected by my readers. Post is now correct.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
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The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today issued a launch curfew that will ban all launches and re-entries from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm local time.
Accordingly, with respect to commercial space launches and reentries, under the authority provided to the FAA Administrator by 49 U.S.C. §§ 40103, 40113, and 46105(c), and authority delegated to the FAA Administrator under 51 U.S.C. § 50909(a), it is hereby ordered that, beginning at 6:00 a.m. EST on November 10, 2025, and until this Order is cancelled, Commercial space launches and reentries will only be permitted between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. local time.
It appears the curfew has been imposed because of a shortage of air traffic controllers due to the government shutdown. Each launch needs to be coordinated with air traffic control, and it appears the FAA won’t have the people it needs to do this during the day. This is part of the overall 10% reduction in flights at forty of the busiest airports nationwide imposed at the same time, also due to the shutdown.
This order is going to probably impact planned launches by SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and others, with SpaceX likely affected the most.
Note: I got the curfew times backwards initially, and was corrected by my readers. Post is now correct.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
”The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today issued a launch curfew that will ban all launches and re-entries from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am local time.”
No, just the opposite.
So this will prohibit Transporter-15, Sentinel-6B, Starlink 6-85, Starlink 6-87, Starlink 6-89, and Starlink 11-30. Starlink 6-94 will have to launch right on time in the primary launch window (which SpaceX almost never does). Even a one-second delay would mean a scrub. Escapade had better get off the ground on Sunday, or it too will be grounded.
I might be wrong, but Electron’s Van launch probably falls under DoD authority, so it would likely be exempted from the curfew.
So all launches are night time launches when air traffic is at its lowest. It kind of makes sense, but is inconvenient…
I guess this means no starship v3 launches until congress does its job.
What time is Blue Origin planning the NG2 launch?
Elon and his team are not gonna be very happy. Satellites sitting on the ground are not making you any money.
I’m confused here Robert.
You commented that you corrected the post, but it reads 100% wrong to me. FAA says : “launches and reentries will only be PERMITTED between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. local time.” which implies they only launch and land overnight. But you state: ” … a launch curfew that will BAN all launches and re-entries from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am local time.”
Edward KK: I apparently didn’t correct the post entirely. Now fixed. Thank you.
I wonder if SpaceX can pay some air traffic controllers itself.
Dick Eagleson: Now THAT’s a great idea. I am sure if Musk talked to Trump about this they could work something out. It would be a nice way for Trump to stick his thumb in the Democrats’ eyes.
Assuming Musk wants to pay… being tight made the SNAP benefit turn into election day’s little blue Thanos snap, after all.
If Musk does pay—that builds good will–a smart thing.
To Richard M
“Elon and his team are not gonna be very happy. Satellites sitting on the ground are not making you any money.”
There is a part of me that thinks this might have been intentional—not smart.
Mamdani got elected in NYC–though they didn’t need him for buses…”A pilot program offered fare-free service on select bus lines for almost a year, ending on August 31, 2024.”
How many ride the bus? Here it’s the same five drunks going in a circle.
Robert Zimmerman,
Hadn’t considered that particular political angle but it is certainly an extra plus.
Given that controllers would only have to be provided near launch sites, and only on shifts where launches are scheduled, it seems to me that SpaceX could cover this with couch cushion change.
Rocket Lab confirmed NZ launch pads unaffected.
https://x.com/Mericamemed/status/1986886374851526728?t=LZ0aESV-juFP2WXuICK_9w&s=19
Dick Eagleston wrote:
“I wonder if SpaceX can pay some air traffic controllers itself.”
My local municipal airport is controlled ( class D) and the ATC people are there on a “contract” and are unaffected by the shutdown. They get paid. So the concept exists. At the start of the shutdown I was taxiing in and I thanked them for working without pay and she said they are “on contract” and are getting paid – but thanks for the thought.
Saville,
Does your local airport have any scheduled airline traffic? The break point between general aviation airports – with or without local ATC – and commercial airports can be as low as 2,500 passenger boardings per year. There are commercial airports with ATC within 50 miles of all of SpaceX’s launch facilities including Brownsville-South Padre Island International (BRO).
What the employment arrangements of the controllers are there, and at other relevant launch-site-adjacent airports, I do not know. But it certainly sounds as though suitable arrangements could be made – especially if the controllers union is at all inclined to be reasonable – not invariably a safe assumption. So-called organized labor harbors almost as big a grudge against Elon as it does against Jeff Bezos. But, then, anyone who thinks labor unions operate primarily for the benefit of their memberships doesn’t really understand what’s actually going on.
Jeff Wright,
At the risk of belaboring the obvious, Musk has zero to do with SNAP.
The Democrats are the ones who won’t open the government again unless Trump allows them to continue handing federal benefits to the millions of invaders who entered the country during the Biden regime and whom ICE has not yet caught and deported. The fact that SNAP has been caught in these gears is simply one more index of the degree to which the Dems now favor foreign criminals over American citizens.
The elections on the 4th weren’t exactly a “Thanos snap” except perhaps for NYC. It would be amusing if NYC lost half of its population over the next four years as its goofball mayor-elect guts the place. Several of the other elections smell strongly of Trump-Biden 2020.