Tag: Federal Communications Commission
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SpaceX Seeks U.S. Approval to Launch Up to One Million Satellites for Orbital AI Data Centres
SpaceX has applied for a licence from the Federal Communications Commission to deploy up to one million satellites, outlining plans to build large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) data centres in orbit, according to a regulatory filing cited by Bloomberg. In the application submitted late on Jan. 30, SpaceX said it intends to construct a solar-powered satellite…
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SpaceX seeks go-ahead from the FCC to put up to a million data center satellites in orbit
This time-lapse image of Venus and the Pleiades shows the tracks of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites. The image received an award in the 2021 IAU OAE Astrophotography Contest. (Torsten Hansen / IAU OAE / Creative Commons Attribution) SpaceX founder Elon Musk wasn’t kidding about his plans to go big with orbital data centers: The company is…
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Amazon asks FCC for 2-year extension in Leo satellite deployment deadline, citing a rocket shortage
An Atlas 5 rocket rises from its Florida launch pad in December to send 27 Amazon Leo satellites into orbit. (United Launch Alliance Photo) Amazon says it’s been harder than expected to secure rides for its Amazon Leo broadband internet satellites, and now it’s asking the Federal Communications Commission for more time. The request for…
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U.S. Senators Propose Bipartisan Bills to Streamline Space Rules and Expand Talent Pipeline
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has introduced two bills aimed at easing regulatory hurdles and strengthening the talent base of the domestic space industry, as lawmakers seek to keep pace with rapid growth in commercial space activity. One proposal, the NASA Talent Exchange Program Act, would establish a formal public-private exchange allowing staff from…
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U.S. FCC Approves Expansion of SpaceX’s Second-Generation Starlink Network
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved SpaceX’s request to deploy an additional 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites, a move that expands regulatory clearance for the company’s low-Earth-orbit broadband network as it seeks to enhance global internet coverage. The decision brings the total number of authorized Gen2 Starlink satellites to 15,000, roughly half of the…
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Satellite operators poised for $9 billion payday after clearing C-band spectrum
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched early Thursday with the last of a dozen new C-band video relay satellites purchased by Intelsat and SES to help clear spectrum for the rollout of 5G wireless services in the United States. Intelsat and SES, two of the world’s largest geostationary communications satellites operators, are on track to…
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FCC plans to set up a new framework for connecting satellites with smartphones
Lynk Global has demonstrated its satellite-to-smartphone network in Mongolia. (Lynk Global Illustration) The Federal Communications Commission plans to set up a new regulatory framework to facilitate hookups between satellite operators and wireless companies, with the objective of connecting smartphone users in remote or underserved areas of the world. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, adopted today,…
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Amazon’s Kuiper satellites are good to go after FCC’s approval of orbital debris plan
Artwork shows ULA’s Vulcan rocket lifting off with Amazon’s Kuiper satellites. (Amazon Illustration) The Federal Communications Commission says Amazon’s 3,236-satellite Project Kuiper constellation is fully cleared for deployment after the company filed an acceptable plan for dealing with the risks of orbital debris. This week’s order follows up on the conditional approval that the FCC…
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Astra Space joins broadband internet race with proposal to launch 13,000 satellites
Members of Astra Space’s team prepare a rocket for a launch attempt in Alaska. (Astra Space Photo) Make room for yet another competitor in the market to provide broadband internet access from low Earth orbit: Astra Space, the venture that went public with a helping hand from Seattle-area telecom pioneer Craig McCaw, is asking the…
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Boeing finally wins the FCC’s go-ahead for broadband satellite constellation
Artwork shows the geosynchronous-orbit variant of Boeing’s 702X satellite platform. (Boeing Illustration) The Federal Communications Commission has authorized Boeing to put 147 satellites in orbit for a broadband internet constellation, adding to a list of competitors including Amazon, OneWeb and SpaceX. Boeing’s constellation was proposed in 2017, but it took four years for the FCC…