Swarm appears to have doubled the size of their constellation from 150 to 300, adding spacecraft propulsion, and deleting the Ku-radar reflectors they added to try and address concerns about how well their vehicles could be tracked. https://twitter.com/FccSpace/status/1283914364123148288?s=20Adding propulsion and doubling the constellation seems like big news, but I wonder if getting rid of the radar reflectors might not be the more exciting conversation when the FCC responds.
Swarm Technologies, Inc. (“Swarm” or “Transferor”) and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (“SpaceX” or “Transferee”) (together, the “Applicants”) hereby request Federal Communications Commission (“Commission”) consent to transfer to SpaceX control of the earth and space station licenses held by Swarm, a U.S.-licensed satellite operator in the non-voice, non-geostationary mobile-satellite service (“NVNG MSS”) authorized to operate in the 137–138 MHz and 148–150.05 MHz bands (the “NVNG VHF Bands”). Swarm and SpaceX have executed a merger agreement pursuant to which, as described more fully in Section I.C below, Swarm will become a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of SpaceX (the “Proposed Transaction”)....On July 16, 2021, SpaceX, Swarm, Swarm Holdco, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of SpaceX (“Merger Sub”), and Dr. Sara Spangelo, solely in her capacity as Stockholder Representative, entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (“Merger Agreement”). The Merger Agreement provides for the merger of Merger Sub with and into Swarm (the “Merger”), with Swarm surviving the Merger as a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of SpaceX upon consummation of the Proposed Transaction.
