The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will restrict when commercial rockets can launch, citing heavy strain on the nation’s air traffic control system amid the ongoing government shutdown.

In an emergency order issued on Friday, the FAA stated that commercial space launches and reentries will be limited to nighttime hours, between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. local time, starting Monday. The curfew is part of several new measures aimed at easing pressure on the National Airspace System. The same order also directs airlines at 40 major U.S. airports to reduce flights by up to 10 percent to alleviate "stress on the system."

Air traffic controllers have gone unpaid since the shutdown began in early October, and the number of worker absences has climbed. The resulting staff shortages have

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