T-ZERO Launch tracker

FAA launch licenses: every current U.S. vehicle operator license

The FAA lists 16 current vehicle operator licenses in its Dynamic Regulatory System. They cover launches or reentries by SpaceX, Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance, Rocket Lab, Firefly, Northrop Grumman, Sierra Space, Varda and others. Each row below links to the official license PDF and explains in plain words what it allows. A license is not approval of every future flight, and this page is not legal advice.

Last checked: Nov 11, 2026

The Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation licenses commercial rocket launches and reentries by U.S. companies. A vehicle operator license may authorize a launch, a reentry, or both, under the rules in 14 CFR Part 450. The rocket launch glossary has a short definition of an FAA launch license.

This page lists every license that the FAA's Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS) shows as current. Each one links to the official PDF, with a plain summary of what the license and its environmental reviews allow. T-ZERO is an unofficial fan project. We summarize public FAA documents, the FAA's own documents control, and nothing here is legal advice.

Last checked: November 11, 2026. Licenses change often. When we checked, SpaceX's Starship license was on revision 9 and its Falcon license was on revision 6.

What an FAA vehicle operator license allows

Each license names the operator, the vehicle, the sites, and the kinds of flights allowed. The details are in numbered license orders attached to the license. One set of orders covers each launch or reentry location, and a matching set covers insurance and financial responsibility.

Most licenses run for five years from the original issue date. When an operator changes its rocket, site, or mission profile, the FAA issues a modification and the revision number goes up.

Some licenses are narrow. ABL's RS1 license covers the first flight only. Northrop Grumman's Pegasus license covers a single flight carrying the Katalyst Link payload. ULA's Vulcan and Atlas V licenses are tied to named missions until the FAA modifies them.

A license is not approval for the next flight

Holding a license does not mean a given flight is cleared. A new mission profile, trajectory, or landing area can need a license modification first. After a mishap, the FAA must accept the investigation or make a return-to-flight determination, and the operator must still meet every other licensing requirement.

Starship shows how this works. The FAA issued separate license modifications for Flight 7 in December 2024 and for Flight 8 in February 2025, and the current Starship license adds a single Pacific Ocean reentry following Flight 14. For upcoming flights, see the Starship launch schedule and the Starship Flight 15 page.

Current FAA vehicle operator licenses

The table lists all 16 current licenses in the FAA DRS vehicle operator collection as of November 11, 2026. Twelve authorize launches. Four authorize reentries only: Varda's Winnebago capsule, Inversion's Ray, SpaceX's Dragon 2, and Sierra Space's Dream Chaser. The Starship and Falcon licenses also cover some reentries.

Dates come from the license PDFs. Where the DRS list shows a different date, we use the PDF and say so in the row. For example, the DRS list shows Sierra Space's Dream Chaser license with its issue and expiration dates swapped. The license itself was issued October 28, 2026.

Each license link opens the FAA's DRS document viewer, which loads the official PDF. T-ZERO does not host or copy the documents.

Current FAA vehicle operator licenses
SitesWhat it allowsOfficial license (FAA)
SpaceXStarship-Super HeavyVOL 23-129 Rev 9Original Apr 14, 2023; Rev 9 Sep 26, 2026SpaceX Boca Chica Launch Complex, Starbase, Texas

Launches of Starship-Super Heavy from Starbase, with Super Heavy returning to the Gulf of America or the launch site and Starship landing in the Indian Ocean on suborbital flights; one Pacific Ocean reentry is allowed following Flight 14. The FAA's 2025 increased-cadence review supports up to 25 launches a year; 100 and 456 a year are only proposed in a review still in scoping.

Source note

Dates and authorizations from the license PDF (Orders A-1 and A-2). The cover says Rev 9.0 issued Sep 26, 2026; the revision history table lists Sep 27, 2026. Cadence from the FAA Boca Chica project page (authorized 25/yr; PEIS proposals 100 and 456/yr).

VOL 23-129 Rev 9 (FAA) opens FAA site
SpaceXFalcon 9, Falcon Heavy (and Starfall reentry vehicle)VOL 26-135 Rev 6Original Mar 7, 2026; Rev 6 Oct 16, 2026SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station; LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center; SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base; Pacific Ocean (Starfall reentry)

Falcon 9 launches from SLC-40, LC-39A and SLC-4E and Falcon Heavy launches from LC-39A, with boosters landing at Landing Zone 1, 2 or 40 in Florida or Landing Zone 4 in California, on a droneship, or in the ocean. It also covers a Pacific Ocean reentry of SpaceX's Starfall vehicle for Demonstration Flight 2.

Source note

License PDF Orders A-1 to A-5. The PDF gives the original issue date as Mar 7, 2026; the DRS list shows 03/06/2026. Annual cadence is not in the license text; FAA environmental reviews analyzed up to 120 Falcon 9 launches/yr at SLC-40 and 50 to 100 Falcon launches/yr at Vandenberg.

VOL 26-135 Rev 6 (FAA) opens FAA site
SpaceXDragon 2VOL 26-136 Rev 3Original Mar 6, 2026; Rev 3 Sep 14, 2026Earth orbit to the Pacific Ocean

Reentries of Dragon 2 from Earth orbit to a Pacific Ocean splashdown area, in support of NASA Commercial Crew and Commercial Resupply Services missions.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1. Reentry-only license; Dragon launches on Falcon 9 under VOL 26-135.

VOL 26-136 Rev 3 (FAA) opens FAA site
Blue OriginNew GlennVOL 24-133 Rev 4Original Dec 27, 2024; Rev 4 Jun 11, 2026Launch Complex 36, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

New Glenn launches from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral, with flights to the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean locations in Blue Origin's application. The FAA says the license allows up to 12 launches a year; a draft environmental assessment proposes up to 50.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1; the 12/yr limit and the proposed 50/yr come from the FAA New Glenn project page. DRS lists expiration 12/26/2029; the PDF says the license ends five years from Dec 27, 2024.

VOL 24-133 Rev 4 (FAA) opens FAA site
Blue OriginNew ShepardVOL 25-134 Rev 1Original Dec 17, 2025; Rev 1 Jun 11, 2026Launch Site One, near Van Horn, Texas

Suborbital New Shepard flights from Launch Site One near Van Horn, Texas, landing back at the same site and carrying payloads, crew, or space flight participants.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1. The PDF gives the original issue date as Dec 17, 2025; the DRS list shows 01/16/2026 (issue) and 01/16/2031 (expiration).

VOL 25-134 Rev 1 (FAA) opens FAA site
United Launch AllianceVulcanVOL 26-139 Rev 1Original Feb 19, 2026; Rev 1 Jun 11, 2026Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

Vulcan launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral, limited to flight profiles like the CERT 1 and 2 missions (VC2S configuration) and KV-01 missions (VC6L configuration) until the license is modified.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1. Mission names are quoted as written in the license.

VOL 26-139 Rev 1 (FAA) opens FAA site
United Launch AllianceAtlas VVOL 26-140 Rev 1Original Feb 26, 2026; Rev 1 Jun 11, 2026Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

Atlas V launches from Space Launch Complex 41: the 551 version for Amazon Kuiper missions and the N22 version for Boeing Starliner cargo missions, until the license is modified.

Source note

License PDF Orders A-1 and A-2. DRS lists expiration 03/10/2031; the PDF says the license ends five years from Feb 26, 2026.

VOL 26-140 Rev 1 (FAA) opens FAA site
Rocket Lab USAElectronVOL 26-137 Rev 1Original Mar 9, 2026; Rev 1 Jun 11, 2026Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Electron launches to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula, only for the missions named in Rocket Lab's application until that condition is changed.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1, paragraphs 4 and 6(b). This license covers Mahia only.

VOL 26-137 Rev 1 (FAA) opens FAA site
Firefly AerospaceAlphaVOL 26-138 Rev 1Original Feb 17, 2026; Rev 1 Jun 11, 2026Space Launch Complex 2 West, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California

Alpha Block 1 launches to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 2 West at Vandenberg, on launch azimuths of 200 to 248 degrees unless the license is modified.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1. T-ZERO's Alpha rocket page is for Block 2 (/rockets/firefly-alpha-block-2/), so no rocket link is set for this Block 1 row.

VOL 26-138 Rev 1 (FAA) opens FAA site
Northrop GrummanPegasus XLVOL 26-141 Rev 0Issued Jun 23, 2026 (original)Kwajalein Atoll / Reagan Test Site, Republic of the Marshall Islands

A single air-launched Pegasus flight from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, carried aloft by an L-1011 aircraft, taking the Katalyst Link payload to low Earth orbit.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1 (single flight unless modified).

VOL 26-141 Rev 0 (FAA) opens FAA site
Sierra SpaceDream ChaserVOL 26-142 Rev 0Issued Oct 28, 2026 (original)Earth orbit to Vandenberg Space Force Base, California

Dream Chaser reentries from Earth orbit to a landing at Vandenberg Space Force Base. The FAA says the license allows up to four reentries a year; it does not cover launch.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1; four reentries a year from the FAA statement of Nov 9, 2026. The DRS list shows issue 10/28/2031 and expiration 10/28/2026 (swapped). The PDF says issued Oct 28, 2026 and ends five years from that date, so expires_drs is left null. The environmental review also covered the Shuttle Landing Facility, but this license order names Vandenberg only.

VOL 26-142 Rev 0 (FAA) opens FAA site
StratolaunchRoc / Spirit of Mojave carrier aircraft and Talon-AVOL 23-131 Rev 9Original Dec 21, 2023; Rev 9 Jun 11, 2026Mojave Air and Space Port, California; Pacific Ocean airspace; landing at Vandenberg Space Force Base

Talon-A flights released from the Roc or Spirit of Mojave carrier aircraft flying out of Mojave Air and Space Port, with Talon landing at Vandenberg and carrying payloads that stay aboard.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1. The PDF gives the original issue date as Dec 21, 2023; the DRS list shows 01/16/2024 (issue) and 01/16/2029 (expiration).

VOL 23-131 Rev 9 (FAA) opens FAA site
Varda Space IndustriesWinnebago capsuleVOL 24-130 Rev 5Original Feb 14, 2024; Rev 5 Jun 11, 2026Earth orbit to Koonibba Test Range, South Australia; Utah Test and Training Range; Pacific Ocean

Reentries of Varda's Winnebago capsule from orbit to the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia, plus a single reentry to the Utah Test and Training Range and a single Winnebago Series 4 reentry to the Pacific Ocean.

Source note

License PDF Orders A-1 to A-3 and revision history. DRS lists expiration 02/13/2029; the PDF says five years from Feb 14, 2024.

VOL 24-130 Rev 5 (FAA) opens FAA site
Inversion SpaceRayVOL 24-132 Rev 1Original Oct 10, 2024; Rev 1 Jun 11, 2026Earth orbit to a Pacific Ocean splashdown off central California

Two reentries of the Ray capsule from orbit to a Pacific Ocean splashdown off central California, on the December-to-April mission profile in Inversion's application.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1.

VOL 24-132 Rev 1 (FAA) opens FAA site
ABL Space SystemsRS1VOL 22-125 Rev 1Original Nov 13, 2022; Rev 1 Jun 11, 2026Launch Pad 3C, Pacific Spaceport Complex, Kodiak Island, Alaska

The first flight only of the RS1 rocket to orbit from Launch Pad 3C at the Pacific Spaceport Complex on Kodiak Island, Alaska.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1. The license is listed as current; this page does not say whether a flight is planned.

VOL 22-125 Rev 1 (FAA) opens FAA site
Relativity SpaceTerran 1VOL 23-127 Rev 1Original Feb 21, 2023; Rev 1 Jun 11, 2026Launch Complex 16, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida

Terran 1 launches to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 16 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Source note

License PDF Order A-1. The license is listed as current; this page does not say whether a flight is planned.

VOL 23-127 Rev 1 (FAA) opens FAA site

All 16 current vehicle operator licenses in the FAA Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS), last checked Nov 11, 2026. Dates come from the license PDFs. Original is the first issue date; the second date is the latest revision. Licenses run five years from the original issue date. Summaries describe what the license orders authorize, plus FAA environmental review or FAA statement figures where the row says so. Proposed figures are labeled proposed. License links open the FAA's DRS viewer; T-ZERO does not host the PDFs. Not legal advice.

Why the FAA shows 24 active launch licenses but this table has 16

The FAA's Commercial Space By the Numbers page lists 24 active launch licenses, 14 spaceport operator licenses, and 8 active safety approvals. The DRS shows 16 current vehicle operator licenses, 14 current launch and reentry site licenses, and 10 current safety approval documents.

The spaceport figure matches the DRS. The launch license figure does not, and the FAA does not say how it counts launch licenses or when that page was last updated. The gap could come from licenses not posted to the DRS, a different counting method, or a figure that has not been refreshed, but we could not confirm any of these from FAA sources. We list only licenses whose official PDFs we could open, and we will update this section if the FAA explains the difference.

Authorized vs proposed launch numbers

Environmental reviews often describe a bigger future than a license allows today, so keep the two apart.

Starbase, Texas: the FAA's 2025 increased-cadence review supports up to 25 Starship launches a year, with up to 25 landings each of Starship and Super Heavy. A programmatic environmental impact statement now in scoping looks at proposals for up to 100 launches a year in Phase 1 and up to 456 in Phase 2. Those higher numbers are proposals, not approvals.

Florida Starship: the FAA's final environmental impact statement for Launch Complex 39A analyzed up to 44 Starship launches a year. At Space Launch Complex 37, the FAA is preparing a supplemental review of SpaceX's request for up to 76 launches a year. Neither Florida site is in the current Starship license, which covers launches from Starbase only.

New Glenn: the FAA says Blue Origin's license allows up to 12 launches a year from Launch Complex 36. A draft environmental assessment proposes raising that to 50.

Falcon: a 2025 FAA environmental assessment analyzed up to 120 Falcon 9 launches a year from Space Launch Complex 40. A 2025 Air Force environmental impact statement, with its own FAA record of decision, analyzed raising Falcon launches at Vandenberg from 50 to 100 a year.

Environmental reviews to watch

The FAA posts environmental reviews for major projects on its stakeholder engagement pages. The list below shows recent and in-progress reviews tied to the licenses above, with the status we found on November 11, 2026. Public comments on the Starbase review are open until December 7, 2026.

Recent FAA mishap investigations

When a licensed launch or reentry goes wrong, the FAA decides whether it counts as a mishap. Events outside the scope of a license are not FAA mishaps. Most investigations are led by the operator under FAA oversight, and the FAA must approve the final report, including any corrective actions.

The list below includes only cases the FAA announced in its own statements since January 2025. It is not a complete record. Closing an investigation is not the same as licensing the next flight.

Airspace closures and NOTAMs

Launches also need temporary airspace closures, published as NOTAMs. They change for every launch and expire within hours or days, so this page does not track them. When a new trajectory needs new closures, the FAA covers it in an environmental review, as it did for Starship Flight 9 over parts of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Related pages and sources

Related on T-ZERO: SpaceX launch schedule, SpaceX provider page, Blue Origin provider page, United Launch Alliance provider page, Rocket Lab provider page, Firefly Aerospace provider page, Florida launch schedule, Vandenberg launch schedule, where to watch Starbase launches, landing sites, and why launches get scrubbed.

Rocket pages: Falcon 9 Block 5 page, Falcon Heavy page, Starship V3 page, New Glenn page, Vulcan page, and Electron page.

Sources: FAA Dynamic Regulatory System, vehicle operator licenses (https://drs.faa.gov/browse/LAUNCH_VEHICLE_OPERATOR_LICENSES/doctypeDetails); FAA Licenses, Permits and Approvals (https://www.faa.gov/space/licenses); FAA Commercial Space By the Numbers (https://www.faa.gov/node/52196); FAA Stakeholder Engagement (https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement); FAA General Statements (https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/statements/general-statements); FAA Compliance, Enforcement and Mishap (https://www.faa.gov/space/compliance_enforcement_mishap); Federal Register (https://www.federalregister.gov/).

FAQ

What is an FAA launch license?

It is the FAA's permission for a U.S. company to launch or reenter a space vehicle. Today it is called a vehicle operator license, issued under 14 CFR Part 450. It names the vehicle, the sites, and the kinds of missions allowed, and it usually runs for five years.

Does a license mean the next launch is approved?

No. A new mission profile, trajectory, or landing area can need a license modification first. After a mishap, the FAA must accept the investigation or approve a return to flight. The operator must also meet every other licensing requirement before it flies.

Where can I read an FAA launch license?

The FAA posts license PDFs in its Dynamic Regulatory System, under Commercial Space, Licenses, Vehicles. Every row in the table on this page links to that official document.

How many launches a year can Starship fly from Starbase?

Up to 25 a year, with up to 25 landings each of Starship and Super Heavy, under the FAA's 2025 increased-cadence review. Figures of 100 and 456 launches a year come from a review still in scoping. They are proposals, not approvals.

What happens after a launch mishap?

The FAA decides whether the event was a mishap. If it was, the operator usually leads the investigation under FAA oversight. The vehicle can fly again once the FAA accepts the final report or decides public safety is not affected, and all other license requirements are met.

Why does the FAA say 24 active launch licenses when this page lists 16?

The FAA's By the Numbers page shows 24 active launch licenses, while its document system lists 16 current vehicle operator licenses. The FAA does not explain the difference, so we list only licenses with an official PDF we could open.