The FCC partially granted SpaceX permission to deploy and operate a quarter of the nearly 30,000 proposed satellites. The agency deferred action on the rest of the second-generation Starlink satellite constellation, according to SpaceNews.
“Our action will allow SpaceX to begin deployment of Gen2 Starlink, which will bring next generation satellite broadband to Americans nationwide,” the FCC said in the order. “At the same time, this limited grant and associated conditions will protect other satellite and terrestrial operators from harmful interference and maintain a safe space environment, promoting competition and protecting spectrum and orbital resources for future use.”
The Commission granted permission to SpaceX to launch 7,500 satellites while it reviews the proposal for placing 29,988 satellites into low Earth orbit. The agency said the public interest would be served “by taking this approach in order to permit monitoring of developments involving this large-scale deployment and permit additional consideration of issues unique to the other orbits SpaceX requests.”
The order restricts SpaceX from having any Starlink satellite go above approximately 360 miles at this time to avoid conflicts with Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites, according to SpaceNews. Those are licensed for higher altitudes. SpaceX must continue to coordinate with NASA to avoid conflicts with NASA satellites.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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