FCC Approves Bids To Expand Satellite Internet Constellations Written 16 November 2018

Reuters reports that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously Thursday to grant “market access” to SpaceX, Telesat Canada, Kepler Communications, and LeoSat in their bids to “offer high-speed internet service and connectivity for sensors and other intelligence devices.” The FCC approved SpaceX’s initial plans in March, and “further approved the company’s request on Thursday for access to additional frequencies and to operate an additional 7,500 satellites at very low-Earth altitudes.” SpaceX won approval Thursday to operate some of the satellites at lower altitudes. In its order approving the application, the FCC said that the revisions would “provide SpaceX with additional flexibility to provide both diverse geographic coverage and the capacity to support a wide range of proposed broadband and communications services in the United States and globally.
More Info (Reuters)