Federal Communications Commission	"FCC  XX-XXX"


STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER ANNA M. GOMEZ

Re: 	Expediting Initial Processing of Satellite and Earth Station Applications and Space Innovation, IB Docket Nos. 22-411 and 22-271, Second Report and Order (August 7, 2025).

I recently went on a mini-space tour to learn more about some of the companies leading the new space age from right here in the United States.  I had the opportunity to visit both established and emerging companies in Los Angeles and San Francisco and tour their facilities—the labs powering our bustling space sector.   
 
My goal with these visits was simple: to learn.  To learn about how these innovators are contributing to the field and to discuss ways in which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can better meet this moment of interstellar innovation.  
 
I visited satellite manufacturers and operators like Astranis, Rocket Lab, K2 Space, and Planet—a dynamic mix of established and new entrants manufacturing satellites in California.  Each has a distinct signature and is making a unique mark on the space economy.  These companies exemplify the new era of commercial space—home-grown and globally-forged.   

Meeting these visionaries made me even more excited about American innovation and leadership in space.  And I’m not alone.  According to an industry estimate, more than 11,000 small satellites were deployed between 2022 and 2024, and, as of today, there are approximately 618 geostationary orbit (GEO) and over 10,000 non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) active satellites. Satellite Indus. Ass’n, 2025 State of the Satellite Industry Report, https://sia.org/news-resources/state-of-the-satellite-industry-report/ (last visited Aug. 7, 2025).  
  Further, the global satellite industry revenue in 2024 is estimated to have reached a striking $293 billion. Id.
   In other words, everyone is truly excited about space.
 
The explosive growth of this sector presents new opportunities for entrepreneurs, but it also raises new questions for regulators like the FCC, particularly around how to support innovation and competition while ensuring responsible and sustainable use of space. 
 
The Order we adopt today is our response to keep policy up-to-speed with the fast pace of innovation and deployment in the space sector.  The work leading up to this Order started a couple of years ago under the leadership of Chairwoman Rosenworcel, who also led the establishment of the Space Bureau and the rollout of the Transparency Initiative—an effort to provide space applicants with the tools and knowledge they need to file their applications for space communications.  

Today, I am pleased to see that we are taking another step to streamline the earth and space station application processes, helping to pave the way for continued innovation in this growing sector.



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