The OUTPACE in Space Act amends federal law to streamline American commercial space operations and protect national security interests. The bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration to remove regulatory barriers for commercial space launches and reentries by issuing a temporary waiver on safety requirements, developing new regulations within one year to allow overland launch and reentry operations, and issuing guidance within 90 days to enable higher frequency launches. The FAA and Transportation Department must also brief Congress within 60 to 90 days on plans to expand airspace access for commercial space and hypersonic industries, and the bill grants the FAA expedited hiring authority to recruit aerospace engineers and specialists without standard competitive hiring processes. Additionally, the legislation prohibits the Departments of Commerce and Transportation from conducting space-related research with foreign entities, foreign governments, or companies controlled by countries of concern, with a focus on preventing adversarial nations from accessing American space technology advancement.
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