FCC to accelerate satellite licensing
July 2, 2026

By Chris Forrester



The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has confirmed its previous draft proposals to significantly accelerate how it deals with applications for new satellite projects.

The FCC statement, from chairman Brenan Carr, said: ““At the outset of the Trump Administration, the FCC committed to boosting America’s space economy. Delivering on that priority is key because our country now sits at the dawn of a new era of space innovation and dominance. Getting the regulatory framework right will determine if America wins this Space Race 2.0. That is why the agency started a process last year to fundamentally change how we process satellite and earth station operations. We bring that effort to conclusion with our Space Modernization Order—a decision that will move from bespoke reviews to a consistent, predictable, and objective assembly line process.”


At the heart of the new process the FCC will replace the existing traditional licensing process with a “licensing assembly line” where applications are modularised and processed more efficiently.

There are, however, some key obligations on satellite operators, with the aim of promoting space safety by requiring satellite operators to share space situational awareness data with each other.

“SIA is pleased to see the Commission and Chairman Brendan Carr moving forward with their efforts to modernise their satellite licensing rules,” commented Tom Stroup, president of the Satellite Industry Association (SIA). “The new rules should expedite application processing and provide more predictability for companies all to the benefit of the satellite community and our broad base of customers. We look forward to continuing to work with the FCC to ensure that the US satellite industry continues to lead the world in innovation and deployment of services crucial to our economy and national defense.”