FCC Approves SpaceX, Kepler, Telesat, LeoSat Satellite Requests

The Federal Communications Commission approved the requests of four companies—Space Exploration Holdings, LLC (SpaceX), Kepler Communications, Inc. (Kepler), Telesat Canada (Telesat), and LeoSat MA, Inc. (LeoSat)— seeking to roll-out new and expanded services using proposed non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) satellites. These proposed satellite systems are expected to enable fixed-satellite service in the United States. The FCC approved:

• SpaceX’s 1) application with certain conditions, authorizing SpaceX to construct, deploy, and operate a new very-low-Earth orbit constellation of more than 7,000 satellites using V-band frequencies; and 2) request to add the 37.5-42.0 GHz, and 47.2-50.2 GHz frequency bands to its previously authorized NGSO constellation.
• Kepler’s request for US market access with certain conditions. 
• Telesat’s request for US market access with certain conditions in the 37.5-42.0 GHz, and 47.2- 50.2 GHz frequency bands. 
• LeoSat’s request for US market access with certain conditions in the 17.8-18.6 GHz, 18.8-19.4 GHz, 19.6-20.2 GHz, 27.5- 29.1 GHz, and 29.5-30.0 GHz frequency bands, using its proposed constellation of NGSO satellites.