Under Commissioner Brendan Carr’s leadership, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will likely focus on expediting the review and approval process for applications to launch new satellites. Commissioner Carr has noted that new low-earth orbit satellites technologies have “the potential to significantly accelerate efforts to end the digital divide and disrupt the federal regulatory and subsidy regime that applies to communications networks,” and has argued that the FCC should “expedite its work to support this new technology by acting more quickly in its review and approval process.”
Earlier this year, the FCC unanimously voted to adopt a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing a new framework for in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) activities, which, if adopted, would introduce new rules governing the in-space inspection, life extension, repair, refueling and alteration of spacecraft after initial launch; transport of spacecraft from one orbit to another; debris collection and removal; on-orbit construction of new space systems using pre-manufactured components; and the transformation of raw or recycled materials into components, products or infrastructure in space. Given his vote in favor of the NPRM and repeated statements on the importance of fostering U.S. leadership in commercial space, Commissioner Carr will likely move forward with the ISAM proceeding as Chairman.