Active removal of orbital debris carries technological, legal and policy challenges that need hammering out, experts told an Aerospace Corp. webinar Thursday. Chris May, Aerospace engineer-Human Exploration and Spaceflight Division, said methodologies have been suggested, including electromagnetic tethers and harpoons, and no single approach will work for all types of debris due to varying sizes and orbital mechanics. He said money has been a big hurdle to development of an active debris removal industry, with little ADR funding available beyond the R&D and demo stage. George Washington University Space Policy Institute graduate student Tyler Way said policy challenges include export concerns for the technology involved and liability issues about which party is ultimately responsible: the state licensing the client satellite or the company providing the ADR service. He said there are "legally daunting" issues with removal of small debris, since its origin is often unknown, making it difficult to go up in good faith and remove it. Way said there have been discussions about an international body or agreement that would focus on ADR regulation and help alleviate some legal complications, and that could take years to establish.
Matt Daneman
Matt Daneman, Senior Editor, covers pay TV, cable broadband, satellite, and video issues and the Federal Communications Commission for Communications Daily. He joined Warren Communications in 2015 after more than 15 years at the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, where he covered business among other issues. He also was a correspondent for USA Today. You can follow Daneman on Twitter: @mdaneman
SES/O3b and Amazon lobbied the FCC eighth floor in recent days about SpaceX's pending license modification and putting it in the 2020 processing round. SES/O3b CEO Steve Collar told Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Nathan Simington the modification "significantly changes the interference environment" for SES' O3b non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) network, per an International Bureau filing Tuesday. Amazon's Kuiper told acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel that SpaceX's proposed license modification has Amazon's support as long as it's authorized in the March 2020 NGSO processing round and conditioned on capping orbital altitude at less than 580 kilometers. SpaceX didn't comment Wednesday. SES, calls with commissioners, also argued that the pending Further NPRM on out-of-band emissions from NGSO earth-station-in-motion operations in the 27.5-28.35 GHz band is flawed and that OOBE limits in place now for geostationary ESIMs and fixed GSO and NGSO blanket-licensed terminals should also apply to NGSO ESIM terminals. Dish Network and SpaceX are at odds over whether SpaceX will use more than one satellite beam in the same area using the same frequency. Dish, in a docket 20-443 filing Wednesday, said SpaceX "falls far short of a commitment" when the company tells the FCC it has in fact answered the question, and previous "hedged pronouncements are not accidents of draftsmanship." It said SpaceX talked about 10 Gbps speeds, and saying it will use only one beam at a time "is simply not credible or realistic," because that speed might require multiple beams for even one user. SpaceX said that Dish "is once again determined to create an issue where none exists," that it has been clear on its satellite beam commitment, and that Dish's own consultant verified that SpaceX's system, when modified, would comply with equivalent power flux density limits.
Commissioner Nathan Simington advocated Wednesday for a light regulatory touch for broadcast regulation, despite not having a model for it, as a way the FCC can help tackle the business woes facing local journalism. "The wolf is now at the door" for stations, and the commission "can get out of the way" as they try to find new sustainable business models when faced with advertising dollar competition from tech giants like Google, he said at a Media Institute talk. He said diversity of ownership is important, but there won't be such diversity "in a world of collapse." Concerns about consolidation can be misguided, as modern broadcast group owners look to maximize the value of individual stations, "not turn each ... into a mouthpiece," Simington said: They seem to see strong local journalism as an asset and aren't prone to acquiring an outlet "only to gut it and make it a clone," because that would be against the group's business interests. "I want finality" from the Supreme Court in its awaited Prometheus decision, he said. Then, the FCC likely will be "eager to take up" the 2018 quadrennial review, Simington said. He said there needs to be a discussion about media ownership reflecting that some parties the agency had hoped to see invest are opting to put their money elsewhere. He said "sensible, slimmed-down regulation" will promote investment in the broadcast industry. Asked about politics at the FCC, Simington said the agency so far in his tenure has "engaged in .... strongly bipartisan and thoroughly reasoned policy. I’m very happy with the spirit of compromise ... among current leadership," and he expects it will continue once there's a 3-2 Democratic majority. A spokesperson for acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel emailed she "values collaborating with her colleagues in support of carrying out the mission of the FCC and appreciates the unique perspective they each bring to the agency.” Simington called President Joe Biden administration's infrastructure plan, with its 5G and broadband components, "very ambitious," and some aspects are worth study. He's concerned about any infrastructure plan that determines where infrastructure should be allocated. He said a 100/100 Mbps standard for broadband makes sense in much of the country but also flies in the face of digital divide issues such as markets that have never been able to attract a provider and urban areas where infrastructure isn't the chief problem.
After years of discussion, the time seems right for augmentation or backup to GPS timing signals, GPS advocates and experts told us: Recent letters from House Infrastructure Committee leaders to President Joe Biden's administration complaining about slow progress show intent for implementation. GPS allies want to see how the Department of Transportation responds.
Wireless and satellite interests have very different opinions about docket 20-330 on geostationary orbit (GSO) fixed satellite service (FSS) downlinks in the 17.3-17.8 GHz band on a co-primary basis with incumbent services, based on replies posted through Friday. Initial comments also showed a split (see 2103040041). Due to concerns in the record about coexistence between GSO FSS downlink and terrestrial FS allocated in 17.7-17.8 GHz, there should be operational requirements for GSO FSS downlinks that protect incumbent fixed service from interference, Nokia said. AT&T said backers of a GSO FSS allocation haven't proved their claims that GSO FSS downlinks are indistinguishable from incumbent 17/24 GHz broadcast satellite service (BSS) downlinks. It said the FCC should defer consideration of new allocations until there's sufficient technical analysis to show GSO FSS downlinks can safely share with incumbent users of the 17 GHz band. If GSO FSS can share with incumbents, the FCC should ensure minimum orbital spacing and power flux density limits to protect incumbents and limit GSO FSS downlink earth stations to individually licensed gateways, AT&T said. Viasat said the comments show allowing GSO FSS downlinks would mean more efficient use of the band, and FCC-proposed technical rules would protect incumbent operations. SES, Hughes, Telesat, Intelsat, Eutelsat, Lockheed Martin and Thales said giving BSS uses priority over FSS uses would leave FSS operations unprotected if a BSS operator implements network changes that interfere with an established FCC facility, disincentivizing FSS use of the 17 GHz band. Amazon's call for a Further NPRM to consider allowing non-geostationary orbit networks to use the 17 GHz band got support from SES, Telesat (see here) and OneWeb (see here). AT&T opposed the FNPRM absent technical and feasibility studies showing a baseline capability to share with incumbents. CTIA said allowing NGSO and earth station in motion operations into the band "present[s] even more complicated challenges to coexistence with terrestrial services than GSO FSS operations and should be rejected."
Two startup satellite operators expect to light up their “cell tower in space” services within two years. Some see regulatory red flags.
If the FCC opts not to defend its cable local franchise authority (LFA) order before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (see 2103110023), "NCTA could and would do so," the group told the appellate court in a sur reply (in Pacer, docket 19-4161) Wednesday. It said being an intervenor would let it continue the proceeding without FCC participation. It said if the localities and others challenging the order dropped their petition, leaving the order "in legal 'limbo'" while the commission decides if wants to revisit it, NCTA would object to abandoning the appeal. "The straightforward statutory interpretation issues presented by this case are ripe for resolution," NCTA said, urging denial of the FCC's request for abeyance of the appeal proceeding. Asked by us about the cable LFA order abeyance request at a news conference after commissioner's Wednesday meeting (see 2103170061), acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the agency is reviewing all pending litigation, given the change in leadership and membership. She said the review is to ensure its legal positions "are exactly what they should be."
A parade of New Jersey local government officials and residents testified Tuesday before the state Board of Public Utilities about problems with Altice broadband and customer service, as BPU considers opening an investigation. Commissioner Mary-Anna Holden said the hearing was initiated by numerous complaints around the state. “These services are essential for the residents,” and the board is concerned, said President Joseph Fiordaliso.
Rolling out a global satellite-based broadband service is "a radical challenge," from the "tremendous amount of fiber" across the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific for the ground network to the numerous partnerships needed, Viasat CEO Rick Baldridge told us. The inaugural launch next year of its Viasat-3 three-satellite high-capacity constellation will let the satellite operator ramp up the number of addressable markets exponentially, Baldridge said. Viasat-4 is being designed now for launch in 2025 or 2026 with five times the capacity of Viasat-3, he said.
Federal appellate judges expressed some skepticism Friday with Wikimedia Foundation and government interpretations of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The Wikipedia operator sought to overturn a lower court's summary judgment in its litigation claiming warrantless U.S. surveillance of its online communications. We were told a decision is likely around early fall.