The FCC should deny or indefinitely defer SpaceX's pending second-generation constellation application pending scientific studies and international discussions that would allow an assessment of the risks -- environmental and otherwise -- it poses, an astronomy professor wrote the International Bureau Sunday. SpaceX and similar proposals would undoubtedly hurt astronomy, public stargazing and indigenous access to the sky, and be a serious debris risk and raise commercial fairness issues that should be addressed, University of Edinburgh's Andy Lawrence said. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit's ruling against environmental-based challenges to SpaceX's plans (see 2208260035) didn't show the agency was right to ignore ordering a National Environmental Policy Act review, but rather that the appellants didn't demonstrate actual injury, he said. Lawrence said the decision also didn't seem to rule out including the effect of harm from activities in orbital space as part of an environmental review. SpaceX didn't comment Monday.

SpaceX “strongly supports” recently circulated draft orbital debris rules, proposed for a vote at the Sept. 29 FCC meeting (see 2209080057), said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-313. “SpaceX has long advocated for strong policies that drive more efficient and sustainable use of orbital resources, and has supported a five-year post-mission disposal timeframe for years,” the company said: “SpaceX particularly appreciates that the draft rule would apply equally to U.S.- and non-U.S.-licensed operators, initiating long-overdue efforts toward closing the foreign operator loophole, which non-U.S.-licensed operators have repeatedly weaponized to harm U.S. operators and American consumers while escaping scrutiny of their own high-risk systems.” The company said it met with staff for Commissioner Geoffrey Starks.

Lynk Global said Friday the FCC granted the company the “first-ever commercial license for a satellite-direct-to-standard-mobile-phone service.” The license allows the company to “launch commercial services for its global constellation of satellites later this year, paving the way for universal mobile connectivity,” Lynk said. “We agree with Lynk that it is in the public interest to begin making its services accessible with the goal of providing connectivity in remote areas during emergencies, contingent upon obtaining appropriate approval in the relevant jurisdiction and contingent upon completion of coordination with other operators,” said a Friday order by the International Bureau: “Lynk has provided information that demonstrates that, with the operations authorized by this license, it would be able to provide limited but useful connectivity in some areas.” The approval of Lynk to use frequencies in parts of the UHF bands is “limited to transmissions with earth stations outside the United States, and is based on a consideration of the specific facts and circumstances of this case,” the bureau said. The order doesn’t speak to “action on any applications to provide similar service in the United States,” the bureau said: “Nothing in this decision is intended to prejudge whether it is in the public interest to permit the provision of similar services within the United States, such as the pending AST&Science application.” GSMA supported the decision. “Technologies such as Lynk's satellite-direct-to-standard-mobile-phone service are an important part of the evolving mobile ecosystem and will be essential in enabling coverage in underserved geographies,” said Alex Sinclair, the group’s chief technology officer.

Globalstar opposed a SpaceX proposal to add 1.6 and 2.4 GHz-band transceivers to its first-generation satellites to give it more options in offering mobile satellite services (see 2209070003). “The Commission should reject this request, which lacks sufficient technical justification, contradicts settled Commission precedent, and jeopardizes important public interest-enhancing services including emergency services provided by Globalstar and its partners for more than two decades,” Globalstar said in a Thursday filing: “Globalstar is utilizing each of our licensed MSS spectrum channels at 1610-1617.775 MHz/2483.5-2500 MHz for a broad range of services including critical communications. Globalstar has extended voice, messaging and emergency services to areas not within economic reach for terrestrial networks and supported thousands of life-saving rescues in the United States and around the world.”

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel plugged FCC proposals on orbital debris, (in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) and the agency’s new focus on space, in remarks at the Global Aerospace Summit Wednesday. “Right now there are thousands of metric tons of orbital debris in the air above,” Rosenworcel said of the draft item set for the agency’s September meeting. The item proposes shortening deorbiting requirements from 25 years to five. “We need to address it. Because if we don’t, this space junk could constrain new opportunities,” she said. “I hope my colleagues will join me in this effort.” The FCC’s focus on space matters is intended to help the U.S. “lead in this new space age and emerging space economy,” she said. “I am proud to say that we have increased the size of the agency division responsible for satellite matters by 38 percent.”

Senate Commerce Space Subcommittee Chairman John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., said Tuesday he and ranking member Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., led filing of the Orbital Sustainability Act in a bid to create a "demonstration program" to partner with industry in developing technology for remediating space debris objects. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., signed on as original co-sponsors. The measure would require the Commerce Department to work with the FCC and National Space Council on developing and promoting standard practices for avoiding collisions and near hits between spacecraft in orbit. It would require the Space Council to update its orbital debris mitigation standards and encourage the FCC to use those updated standards as the basis for its own space-related regulations. Hickenlooper eyed space debris legislation earlier this year following House Commerce Committee leaders' circulation of two draft bills to revamp the FCC's low earth orbit satellite licensing rules (see 2202180044). "Our society is reliant on satellites in orbit, yet space junk is a constant, growing threat,” Hickenlooper said: “Space debris endangers everything from global communications to advanced weather forecasting to human space exploration."

Comments on an FCC notice of inquiry on in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing are due Oct. 31, replies Nov. 28, said a notice in Wednesday’s Federal Register. The NOI broadly seeks comment on ways the agency can help the new industry (see 2208050023).

The Commerce Department and the DOD have signed a memorandum of agreement on basic space situational awareness (SSA), space traffic management (STM), and civil and commercial coordination, said an emailed news release Friday. “The agreement defines how the two departments will work cooperatively to implement the National Space Council’s Space Policy Directive 3,” which “seeks to advance SSA and STM science and technology; provide federally-supported basic SSA data and STM services to the public; and improve SSA data interoperability to enable greater SSA data sharing,” the release said. The MOA was also signed by Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb, and the leadership of the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command. Commerce and DOD “recognize the need for new approaches to coordinate and manage space activities in an accessible and meaningful way for the private sector will help maintain U.S. economic leadership in space,” the release said.

HawkEye 360 is seeking some technical amendments to its constellation license, including an altitude change from 500-615 kilometers to 475-615 kilometers "to account for a growing trend of launch vehicles deploying spacecraft at lower altitudes," it said in an FCC International Bureau application Tuesday.

Warning about the possibility of SpaceX's proposed satellite reconfiguration and expansion impairing competition, Amazon's Kuiper representatives told FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington and an aide to Commissioner Geoffrey Starks the agency must ensure "an incremental, evidence-based expansion" of SpaceX’s operating authority, per a docket 18-313 ex parte post Wednesday.