Opposition to STA Based on Misunderstanding, SpaceX Says; FSF Says Situation Unusual
Arguments against SpaceX getting special temporary authority for communications between its Ku-band earth stations and first batch of Starlink broadband satellites planned for May launch come "from a fundamental misunderstanding," the company told FCC International Bureau staff in a phone…
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call Tuesday, per a filing. Even if SpaceX had its related satellite constellation modification and earth station license approvals in hand months ago, the STA would be needed because regular licenses don't cover communications with non-geostationary orbit satellites during orbit raising, only once they get to their assigned orbital positions, it said. The volume of OneWeb opposition to the license modification application seems to indicate it's "more focused on stymying others from providing broadband to consumers than it is in providing service itself," SpaceX said. OneWeb didn't comment. Free State Foundation President Randolph May blogged Tuesday that the FCC should be skeptical of SpaceX's STA ask. There don't seem to be extraordinary circumstances warranting an STA or reasons why the agency shouldn't first resolve the interference concerns raised in connection with its pending modification application, he said. The company didn't comment on that.