Florida space launches to delay fewer airline flights under FAA plan

Rocket launches in Florida will cause fewer disruptions to airline flights after federal aviation regulators shrunk the area it will close while space vehicles lift off. 

The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday announced the steps to lower the impact created by the rapid growth in launches from Cape Canaveral, which had previously blocked a route to nearby Orlando International Airport. 

The agency conducted a risk analysis showing it could leave more room for jets without compromising safety, it said in a release. It estimated that under the change, 36 flights that would previously have been rerouted could proceed normally, cutting 300 minutes of delay and as much as 1,500 extra miles flown.

The FAA, which oversees commercial space operations, approved 74 launches last year, up from 14 in 2015, as demand for lifting satellites and humans into orbit grows rapidly. Most of that activity has been in Florida, and typically launches block at least some routes along the eastern side of the state.