FCC launches ‘Space Month’ to fast-track satellite licensing and spectrum reforms

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr vowed Oct. 6 to accelerate satellite regulatory reforms, declaring October as “Space Month” at the U.S. regulator to overhaul licensing and spectrum rules amid mounting competition from China.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Apex’s new satellite manufacturing facility in El Segundo, California, Carr outlined two main proposals that the FCC is preparing to vote on:

The first would replace “our bespoke licensing process with a licensing assembly line,” which Carr said would presume straightforward satellite and Earth station applications are in the public interest and eligible for expedited approval.

The second proposal would revise siting rules for Earth stations in the upper microwave bands, known as UMFUS, to enable more intensive use of spectrum and simplify approvals for operators.

“We’ll replace a default-to-no at the agency with a default-to-yes framework,” Carr said. 

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