The Federal Communications Commission on April 23 voted to require more safety disclosures from satellite operators seeking licenses and U.S. market access, but stopped short of introducing stricter orbital debris criteria. The agency’s five commissioners voted unanimously in favor of requiring satellite operators to quantify their collision risk, probability of successfully disposing spacecraft, the casualty risk associated with spacecraft that re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, and other details.More specific space debris rules, which garnered praise from some space safety advocates but strong rebukes from industry, were deferred for additional study.
The National Space Council is in discussions with the Federal Communications Commission and other agencies about new orbital debris mitigation regulations after the FCC deferred a decision last month on a controversial set of measures.In a May 6 podcast by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Scott Pace, executive secretary of the National Space Council, said he was concerned that some of the FCC’s proposals, including those that would have required “performance bonds” for satellite operators, could put American companies at a disadvantage.“We are the only country in the world, in some cases driven by legislation, that charges very high licensing fees,” he said. “If we require further burdens, such as performance bonds or indemnification insurance, and those are placed on top of the existing fee, I think that will be to the detriment of the satellite industry.”
Here is the number of active satellites versus time, using my data. Look how steep the curve has become!
