SpaceX has set a goal of carrying out 10,000 rocket launches a year within the next five years, a figure far above the current global total. Gwynne Shotwell recently explained the target to U.S. Federal Aviation Administration chief Brian Bedford, who said bottlenecks are not within SpaceX. The FAA currently authorises 195 launches a year across four sites. Industry calls are growing to shift from per-launch approvals to a system similar to airline operating licences.

Southwest Airlines has banned humanoid and animal-shaped robots from being carried onboard or transported as checked baggage, regardless of size or purpose. The airline updated its website rules after a series of incidents involving robots on flights, including one that delayed takeoff while staff decided how to secure a device. Southwest said its concern is the aviation safety risk posed by large lithium-ion batteries used in such robots.