FCC Space Bureau chief shares agenda for regulatory reform

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s Space Bureau is pursuing an ambitious agenda for regulatory reform.

The space plank of the FCC’s Build America Agenda would allocate additional spectrum for space activities, streamline the satellite licensing process and give spacecraft operators more flexibility to modernize operations.

“We’re seeking to extend the reach of human discovery, secure the nation’s vital economic security interests, unleash commercial development and lay the foundation for the new space age,” Jay Schwarz, FCC Space Bureau chief, said Feb. 11 at the SmallSat Symposium.

Under its “Spectrum Abundance” proposal, the FCC has proposed making “available 20,000 megahertz of spectrum” across 12, 42, 51 gigahertz and W-band. The FCC also is exploring ways satellite operators could efficiently share the Upper Microwave Flexible Use Service bands above 24 gigahertz with terrestrial systems.

Ahead of the 2027 World Radio Conference in China, the FCC is “working with others in government to make sure that we are prepared, so that our operators can win,” Schwarz said.

Ticking Clock

The rapid increase in space activity presents challenges for the FCC. While the number of license requests has surged in recent years, the complexity has skyrocketed. As a result, the government needs to expand its license-review capacity and enhance coordination among federal agencies, Schwarz said.

“We have to rise to the occasion and increase the capacity for space innovation,” Schwarz said. “We want to make sure innovators can get the licenses they need in a timely and predictable fashion.”

To achieve that goal, the FCC is establishing “a licensing assembly line” with fixed time limits for agency action, Schwarz said.

In addition, the FCC plans to simplify the process for modifying existing licenses.

“We recognize that this isn’t the world where you put a satellite up there and it stays up there for 15 or 20 years and you make no changes,” Schwarz said. “People are constantly replenishing their fleet. They need to change things on their satellites. We want to make sure our rules enable that.”

At the end of his talk, Schwarz invited people to propose additional actions the FCC could take to streamline the regulatory process.

“If you have ideas on how we can promote innovation, something you think we should add to our agenda, I’d encourage you to reach out to me,” Schwarz said.