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ARTICLE · 01 SEPTEMBER 2026

FCC Seeks Comment On Spectrum Access For Space Launch Activities

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The FCC is seeking comment on ways in which it can further increase and improve access to spectrum for commercial and federal space launch, reentry, recovery and on-orbit activities.

United StatesMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
Jennifer Richter
Jennifer Richter
Sean T. Conway
Sean T. Conway
Jon Markman
Jon Markman
Virginia D. Hiner
Virginia D. Hiner
Halie Peacher
Halie Peacher
Sharanya Sriram
Sharanya Sriram
Alexandra Van Cleef
Alexandra Van Cleef
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Key Takeaways:

  • The FCC is seeking comment on ways in which it can further increase and improve access to spectrum for commercial and federal space launch, reentry, recovery and on-orbit activities.
  • The FCC also seeks comment on a petition filed by the CSF, requesting that the Commission replace the Part 87 frequency coordinator for non-federal AMT operations with a more modern light licensing and coordination framework.
  • Comments are due September 14, 2026. Reply comments are due September 24, 2026.

Background. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) has undertaken several initiatives to modernize its regulations in response to the exponential growth of commercial space activity, including efforts focused on spectrum access and sharing. Space launch operators use spectrum for pre-launch testing on the ground and for telemetry, tracking and command for vehicle launch and reentry. In September 2023, the Commission adopted a non-federal secondary allocation for

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