--- title: "FAA Issues Santa Claus Commercial License for Launch to Space Station" description: "The Federal Aviation Administration has issued Santa Claus and his sleigh special commercial flight permissions to visit the International Space Station." date: "2020-12-23" modified: "2020-12-23" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/faa-issues-santa-claus-commercial-license-launch-space-station" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "christmas" - "FAA" - "santa" - "the digest" --- # FAA Issues Santa Claus Commercial License for Launch to Space Station ![The Federal Aviation Administration has issued Santa Claus and his sleigh special commercial flight permissions to visit the International Space Station.]() *\Image: NASA/Victor Tangermann\* ## Special Air-Cargo-Delivery The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) [has issued]() Santa Claus and his sleigh special commercial flight permissions to visit the International Space Station. Father Christmas can now enjoy "special operating authority to engage in interstate air-cargo-delivery services directly to rooftops throughout the United States on Christmas Eve," the FAA's statement reads. ## The Santa Clause Claus will reportedly be using his "StarSleigh-1 space capsule powered by the Rudolph Rocket," according to the FAA. "We are pleased to help Santa safely navigate through the National Airspace System to bring his unique and universal brand of good will and joy to children and adults of all ages — even to those orbiting the Earth," FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said. "Let’s face it, 2020 was a difficult year and we all could use some special holiday cheer that only Santa can deliver." Luckily, Claus has agreed to fly while wearing "a mask to set a good example for everyone who is traveling by air this holiday season." ## Santa's Safe The news comes after the nation's leading infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, reassured children everywhere that he had already vaccinated Santa Claus. "I took care of that for you, because I was worried that you'd all be upset," Fauci [said during a CNN-Sesame Street town hall]() over the weekend. "I measured his level of immunity, and he is good to go," Fauci added. "He can come down the chimney, he can leave the presents, he can leave, and you have nothing to worry about." **READ MORE:** [Santa Claus snags FAA license for commercial mission to space station]() \[*Space.com*\] **More on Santa:** *[Santa Impersonator Exposes Throngs of Children to COVID]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()