The FCC is set to vote this month on whether to adopt reforms intended to make it easier for operators to navigate the satellite licensing process.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr announced last week that the commission is expected to vote on the Space Modernization Order on July 22.
“Getting the regulatory framework right will determine if America wins this Space Race 2.0,” Carr said in a statement. “That is why the agency started a process last year to fundamentally change how we process satellite and Earth station operations.”
What’s on the ballot: If approved, the order would seek to streamline and organize the agency’s rules for satellite licensing through a series of changes, including:
- Establishing a “licensing assembly line” to boost efficiency in considering applications;
- Considering applications faster, simplifying requirements—and offering companies more predictability;
- Requiring space operators to share SSA data to increase safety in orbit.
Reaction so far: Early indications are that industry is supportive of the proposed changes.
Tom Stroup, president of the Satellite Industry Association, said the group is “pleased” with the FCC’s efforts to improve the licensing process for satellite operators.
“The new rules should expedite application processing and provide more predictability for companies, all to the benefit of the satellite community and our broad base of customers,” Stroup said in a statement.
What’s next: The expected official adoption of the order doesn’t mark the finish line for the FCC’s space efforts. The agency is also planning an opportunity for industry to provide feedback on other reforms to the licensing process, including establishing a pathway to develop and test experimental tech in orbit without a commercial license.
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