Media Contact: Will Wiquist will.wiquist@fcc.gov For Immediate Release FCC ADOPTS RULES TO ENSURE COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCHES HAVE RELIABLE SPECTRUM RESOURCES Agency’s Space Innovation Agenda Continues to Promote Competition, Safety, Economic Growth, and International Leadership in the New Space Age -- WASHINGTON, September 21, 2023—The Federal Communications Commission today adopted new rules to ensure commercial space launches have the spectrum resources they need for reliable communications. These updates will promote safety, competition, innovation, and continued American leadership in the new Space Age. Commercial operators have assumed a vital role in the launch of satellites, scientific exploration missions, and even astronauts. The volume of commercial space launches in the United States in recent years continues its upward trajectory, going from 9 launches in 2015 to 79 last year, and more than 100 launches are expected to occur this year. Each of these launches requires the use of radio spectrum to download data from the rocket as well as to send control signaling during the launch. Establishing this spectrum allocation and licensing framework will provide regulatory certainty and improved efficiency for these operations while protecting federal incumbents that also use the spectrum. The rules adopt a new allocation in the 2025 to 2110 MHz band for ground-to-launch vehicle telecommand uses necessary to support space launch operations. The new rules also make the entire 2200 to 2290 MHz band available for launch telemetry. The rules establish a non-exclusive nationwide licensing framework and technical rules to give operators the predictability needed to conduct commercial space launch operations. In a Further Notice, the FCC explores steps that could further optimize spectrum use for the new Space Age, including the potential for additional spectrum bands to support commercial space launch operations and the possibility of extending the licensing framework to payload activities and sub-orbital operations. Today’s action is the latest initiative in the FCC’s Space Innovation agenda. As part of this agenda, the FCC established its new Space Bureau and took action to speed up regulatory review processes, increased the number of staff working on satellite applications, created new opportunities for competition in the delivery of satellite broadband services, and modernized spectrum policy to better meet the needs of the next generation Space Age. As the agency promotes Space Innovation, it also has taken action to advance space safety and responsibility, including by adopting new rules for deorbiting satellites to address orbital debris risks. Action by the Commission September 21, 2023 by Second Report and Order and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 23-76). Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Carr, Starks, and Simington approving. Chairwoman Rosenworcel and Commissioner Starks issuing separate statements. ET Docket No. 13-115 ### Media Relations: (202) 418-0500 / ASL: (844) 432-2275 / Twitter: @FCC / www.fcc.gov This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).