DA 25-207 Released: March 10, 2025 SPACE BUREAU ANNOUNCES TEMPORARY EXPEDITED PROCESSING PROCEDURES FOR EARTH STATION APPLICATIONS SEEKING SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY The Space Bureau is implementing new, temporary procedures to expedite the processing of certain types of earth station applications for special temporary authority (STA) while the Commission considers more comprehensive streamlining.1 These temporary procedures will remain in place for a one- year period, in which time the Commission will learn from the Bureau’s experience administering these procedures and consider further measures as necessary. The space economy is growing, which has resulted in a large increase in the number of earth station applications. For example, the number of earth station applications filed each calendar year with the Bureau has increased 72 percent between the years 2021 and 2024. In the interest of government efficiency, the Space Bureau is taking specific steps to expedite the processing of applications to ensure that applicants that are ready to provide service and comply with the Commission’s rules can be authorized to commence service as soon as practicable notwithstanding the Commission’s scarce resources. Under the Commission’s rules, earth station applicants may file applications for STA pursuant to section 25.120.2 Applicants often file STA applications in the following scenarios: (1) for short-term operations (e.g., for time-limited testing of equipment or support for launch and early orbit (LEOP) satellite operations); or (2) in order to commence operations while an application for a regular license remains pending and under review. Applicants typically seek STAs for periods up to 30, 60, or 180 days. An STA may be granted for a period not to exceed 30 or 60 days without being placed on the Accepted for Filing Public Notice.3 STA applications seeking authority to operate for a longer period, but not to exceed 180 days, are subject to public notice before the application may be granted.4 Consistent with current practice, all STAs, regardless of duration, are conditioned on a non-interference basis for operations in the frequency band(s) authorized.5 1 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(A) (exempting from APA rulemaking requirements rules of agency procedure); see also In the Matter of Expediting Initial Processing of Satellite and Earth Station Applications, IB Docket Nos. 22-411 and 22- 271, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 38 FCC Rcd 8838 (2023). 2 See 47 CFR § 25.120. 3 See 47 CFR § 25.120(b)(3), (4). By contrast, regular earth station license are typically granted for a period of 15 years. 4 See 47 CFR § 25.120(b)(2). Section 25.151(d) requires that no application that appears on public notice will be granted until 30 days after the public notice date. See 47 CFR § 25.151(d). 5 See e.g. IBFS File No. SES-STA-20241217-02684 at Condition 3 (“All operations under this grant of STA must be on an unprotected and non-interference basis…”). It is Bureau practice to include this condition on all earth station STAs issued by the Bureau. Federal Communications Commission DA 25-207 America’s rapidly growing commercial space industry requires flexibility and regulatory urgency to remain competitive. The Bureau has been examining its processes to identify ways in which the Bureau can expedite the licensing process in the short term given its limited staff resources and the dramatic increase in the volume of applications while it considers other actions that may require rule changes. The Bureau notes an applicant for a license or modification often will simultaneously file for special temporary authority for the same parameters outlined in the underlying application for a license or modification. In these cases, we find that it is in the public interest and there is good cause to waive certain procedural rules6 to provide a means by which applicants and licensees are able to immediately begin services while also increasing the efficiency of Bureau processing.7 Since the STAs grants include a condition that the grantee operate on a non-interference basis with respect to others operating in the relevant band(s), we do not expect these STAs to negatively impact the radio frequency environment. We find that this temporary change of process in the near-term will allow the Bureau the ability to clear much of the existing backlog of STAs and the opportunity to inform any potential next steps in revising our procedures. Accordingly, the Bureau announces the following procedures for non-common carrier, non- broadcast earth station applications that are not otherwise covered by Section 309(b) of the Act and that propose to operate in frequency bands not subject to federal coordination: 8 I. Certain Classes Of Earth Station STAs Will Be Processed By Grant Stamp. A. The following classes of STA applications will be processed by grant stamp: 1. 30- and 60-day STA applications associated with a regular license or modification application. 2. STA applications filed that seek to extend the duration of existing STAs (i.e., STA extension applications). B. These STA applications will be eligible for grant stamp when the relevant pending application for regular license or modification application or STA extension application has been placed on the Earth Station Licensing Division’s weekly Accepted For Filing Public Notice (AFFPN). C. Grant stamp in this case means that when an STA is granted, such grant will occur without a separate Bureau- or Division-issued STA authorization document. D. The STA application will appear in the International Communications Filing Service (ICFS) as “granted,” and a stand-alone grant document will no longer be issued. E. When granted, these STA grants will appear on the weekly Actions Taken Public Notice with any conditions included. Doing so will reduce the amount of staff time 6 See 47 CFR § 1.3. 7 The Bureau does not waive any of the filing fees associated with applications covered in this Public Notice. Although this new process is expected to increase the speed at which STAs are acted upon, staff resources are still required to process these STAs. 8 Non-common carrier, non-broadcast operations are not subject to the notice requirements of Section 309 of the Communications Act of 1934. See 47 U.S.C. § 309(b) (enumerating the authorization and service types specifically requiring 30 day public notice); see also 47 U.S.C. § 309(c)(2)(G) (noting that certain types of STAs are prima facie not covered by 47 USC § 309(b)); 47 U.S.C. § 309(f) (stating that this section applies to those authorizations and service types enumerated in 47 U.S.C. § 309(b)). 2 Federal Communications Commission DA 25-207 required to process grants of these authorizations even though the standard of review under section 25.120 of the Commission’s rules will remain the same. II. Special Processing Procedures Will Be Implemented For Any 180-Day STA Application Associated With a Regular License Application. A. For any 180-day STA application associated with an application for regular authorization (i.e., license or modification application filed under the same call sign), we waive section 25.151(d) of the Commission’s rules for a period of 365 days from release of this Public Notice to the extent this rule precludes grant of a 180-day STA application until after the 30-day public notice period expires. 1. We find that by placing the 180-day STA application and the application for regular authorization on public notice simultaneously, we meet the public notice requirements of section 25.120 of the Commission’s rules. We find, however, good cause to waive section 25.151(d) of the Commission’s rules and will deem granted these 180-day STA applications at the time they are placed on public notice.9 2. Interested parties will have the chance to file objections in response to the application for regular authorization, which will give the Commission time to consider the issues fully. In addition, these STAs are granted solely on a non- interference basis. Finally, waiving section 25.151(d) of the Commission’s rules in this case will avoid delaying expedited relief to applicants on a temporary basis. B. Applicants must clearly identify in both the application for regular authorization and the associated STA that the two filings are associated.10 C. All 180-day STAs associated with an underlying license or modification application that remain pending will automatically renew upon filing of an application to extend the 180- day STA. 3. When a Pending Regular License Or Modification Application Has Already Appeared on the Accepted For Filing PN, the Associated 180-Day STA Application Will Be Subject to a Shortened 7-Day Notice Period. A. For any pending license or modification application that has already appeared been on the Accepted For Filing PN, applicants may file a 180-day STA application and associate it with the underlying application for regular authorization. B. These 180-day STA applications will be placed on the Accepted for Filing Public Notice for a shortened period of 7 days and will be eligible to be acted on after that 7-day period expires.11 • STAs by their very nature are required quickly, and often with very short notice. But there is still a benefit to allowing the public the opportunity to comment on these 180-day STAs, which will remain in place for a longer term. C. Applicants should clearly identify in the description for the STA application which 9 See 47 CFR § 25.120(b)(2) (stating that STAs for up to 180 days must be placed on public notice, but not how long such STAs must appear on public notice). 10 Failure to do so may mean that the expedited processing path will be unavailable to the applicant, and the application will be treated as an independently-filed STA subject to all of the filing requirements of 47 CFR § 25.120 and the comment period discussed herein for unassociated STA applications. 11 Comments or other filings filed within the 7-day public notice period will be reviewed and considered by the Bureau before any final actions are taken. 3 Federal Communications Commission DA 25-207 application for regular authorization the STA is associated with, including the call sign and file number, if available.12 D. All 180-day STAs associated with an underlying license or modification application that remains pending will automatically renew once the applicant files to extend or renew the 180-day STA. The growth of the space economy and the significantly increased cadence of STA applications that have been filed over the last few years have resulted in the need to review the existing procedures for STAs. E. For the reasons explained above, and because the guidance herein only applies to licensees and operations not covered by section 309(b) of the Act, we find that there is good cause to waive the 30 day public notice requirements of section 25.151 for a period of 365 days from release of this Public Notice.13 4. 180-day STA Applications Not Associated with a Regular License or Modification Application Will Be Subject to a Shorter Public Notice Period. A. For 180-day STA applications not subject to section 309(b) of the Act,14 for the reasons stated above, we find that there is good cause to waive the 30-day public notice requirements of sections 25.120 and 25.151(d) of the Commission‘s rules for a period of 365 days from release of this Public Notice for STAs and instead shorten the public notice period to 7 days.15 B. The STA application will be acted on after the 7-day notice period expires. While it is not necessary to have a long public notice period, it is still necessary to allow the public to comment on the operations of any long-term STA. 5. Processing of STA Applications Not Associated with a Regular License or Modification Application Will Remain the Same. STAs filed independently without an associated license or modification application (e.g., for short-term testing or LEOP) will remain subject to the applicable procedures of sections 25.120 and 25.151 of the Commission’s rules. 6. General Note About Application Dismissals. As a reminder to all applicants – whether applying for a regular license or an STA -- an application that is unacceptable for filing will be dismissed without prejudice and returned pursuant to section 25.112 of the Commission’s rules. If an underlying application for regular authority is dismissed as unacceptable for filing, any associated STA will also be dismissed. Applicants are encouraged to ensure that applications 12 Failure to do so may mean that the expedited processing path will be unavailable to the applicant, and the application will be treated as an independently-filed STA subject to all of the filing requirements of 47 CFR § 25.120 and the comment period discussed herein for unassociated STA applications. 13 See 47 CFR § 25.151 (outlining when public notices announcing certain application types will be released, but noting that STAs do not typically get placed on public notice); see also 47 CFR § 25.120(b)(2) (stating that STAs for up to 180 days must be placed on public notice); 47 CFR § 25.151(d) (noting that any application that goes out on public notice must do so for thirty days). 14 Non-common carrier, non-broadcast operations are not subject to the notice requirements of Section 309 of the Communications Act of 1934. See 47 U.S.C. § 309(b) (enumerating the authorization and service types specifically requiring 30 day public notice); see also 47 U.S.C. § 309(c)(2)(G) (noting that certain types of STAs are prima facie not covered by 47 U.S.C. § 309(b)); 47 U.S.C. § 309(f) (stating that this section applies to those authorizations and service types enumerated in 47 U.S.C. § 309(b)). 15 Applicants are still required to meet all of the applicable requirements of 47 CFR § 25.120 if the STA application is not associated with an application for regular authority. This includes, but is not limited to, the requirements of 47 CFR § 25.120(a) and (b)(1). 4 Federal Communications Commission DA 25-207 filed meet the standard for acceptability outlined in the Commission rules. *** People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice). Additional Information. For additional information, applicants should contact Gregory Coutros, Associate Division Chief, Earth Station Licensing Division, Space Bureau, at Gregory.Coutros@fcc.gov. -FCC- 5