SpaceX stressed the importance of the FCC proceeding with care in selecting a space launch frequency coordinator for the agency's space launch service (see 2501230025). “As a company that launched more than 130 rockets to orbit in 2024 and must regularly coordinate its launch operations with other spectrum users, SpaceX has a strong interest in ensuring that any third-party coordinator improves upon the existing post-licensing launch spectrum coordination processes that launch service providers and other spectrum users have refined over years of experience,” said a filing this week in docket 13-115.

SpaceX on Tuesday challenged Viasat’s standing to seek consideration of an order authorizing SpaceX and T-Mobile to provide supplemental coverage from space (SCS) service (see 2412270017). “After decades of warehousing prime mid-band spectrum at the expense of consumers and first responders, Viasat and its front group," the Mobile Satellite Services Association, "seek to prevent an American satellite operator from delivering life-saving” coverage, said a filing in docket 23-135. Because Viasat didn’t participate in the underlying licensing docket, “it lacks standing to bring its petition for reconsideration,” SpaceX said: “Even if it had timely raised these claims, the Commission still must reject them because they fundamentally misread the Commission’s SCS licensing framework and its overarching goal to establish and maintain American leadership in the market for direct-to-cellular services both here and abroad.”

Ligado's opposition to a DOJ interlocutory appeal of a decision in the satellite operator's lawsuit against the U.S. government (see 2501310004) is fundamentally flawed, DOJ said Wednesday. In a reply filed with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (docket 1:23-cv-01797), it said Ligado wrongly downplays the interlocutory appeal as merely disagreeing with the court's November decision regarding a DOJ motion to dismiss. Ligado is incorrect when it argues there is no remedy at the FCC to address its claim that its L-band spectrum rights were taken without compensation, DOJ said. It said the agency could always set aside conditions on Ligado's license.

Startup Starfish Space is eyeing a January 2026 launch for its Otter 24A in-space servicing vehicle, it told the FCC Space Bureau in an application filed Wednesday. Starfish said the mission would involve inspecting and docking with an Intelsat satellite in the "graveyard orbit" for retired non-geostationary orbit satellites, as well as providing life-extension services for Intelsat-17.

Northrop Grumman's Space Logistics is planning to dock its Mission Extension Vehicle 1 with an Optus D3 satellite for in-orbit mission extension services. In an FCC Space Bureau application Monday, SL said that after seven months of service with Optus, the MEV-1 would undock and then move to its next client. SL said the spacecraft has been operating with the Intelsat 901 satellite, doing mission extension services for it, and the company's contract with Intelsat ends March 30.

Sateliot wants the FCC to revisit its Space Bureau's January decision dismissing the company's U.S. market access petition. In an application for review filed Friday, Sateliot said the bureau's rejection of the application to offer IoT services in the 2 GHz mobile satellite service (MSS) band, due to unavailability of that spectrum (see 2501080037), runs contrary to the FCC's 2019 smallsat order. That order lets applicants seeking authority under the streamlined small satellite processing rules apply for MSS frequencies, it said. Sateliot argued that the bureau was wrong in saying there wasn't enough information in the record to determine if Sateliot's system would meet the spectrum-sharing requirements under the smallsat processing rules.

Globalstar has inked a $1.1 billion contact with MDA Space for the construction of more than 50 software-defined low earth orbit satellites, MDA said Monday.

Business aviation remains a growth area for Viasat, and maritime should return to growth next year, CEO Mark Dankberg said in a call with analysts Thursday. Viasat continues integrating capacity from other satellite operators, expanding its in-flight connectivity coverage and capacity. He said that in Viasat's most-recent fiscal quarter, the number of commercial in-flight connectivity aircraft in service grew about 13% year over year, while business jets jumped 18%, and Viasat's aviation backlog gained 22%. Pointing to its ViaSat-3 Flight 1 satellite providing 130 Mbps service on a test of in-flight Wi-Fi capabilities during a 737 flight, he said the next two ViaSat-3 satellites launching should provide even better performance. He said ViaSat-3 Flight 2 should be shipped to Cape Canaveral, Florida, this summer and be in service by year's end, adding that Flight 3 should be launched and in service sometime in 2026. With fall's launch of Viasat's NexusWave maritime service, which uses low earth orbit and geostationary orbit satellites, the company is building an order pipeline that should see its maritime business returning to growth in fiscal year 2026, Dankberg said. Asked about the utility of Viasat's L-band spectrum if it's not coordinated contiguously with Ligado's L-band spectrum, he declined to comment, citing Ligado's bankruptcy proceeding.

Viasat's Inmarsat is asking a federal bankruptcy court to order Ligado to make its quarterly L-band coordination payments to Inmarsat. Ligado's continued use of the two companies' L-band spectrum "is essential -- and in fact a condition -- to the proposed restructuring on which Ligado has staked its future," Inmarsat told the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware in a motion to compel (docket 1:25-bk-10006). Inmarsat said it's owed $500 million under the companies' cooperation agreement and hasn't received a quarterly payment for years. Inmarsat said it shouldn't have to allow Ligado continued use of Inmarsat spectrum for free. The company asked that the quarterly payments resume March 31. Ligado has said its Chapter 11 came after months of trying unsuccessfully to restructure its payment obligations to Inmarsat (see 2501060026).

The first Donald Trump administration made some headway on existential issues threatening GPS, but there's been little progress toward improved positioning, navigation and timing capabilities, according to the Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation. The foundation said this week that it was circulating a position paper to the new presidential administration and members of Congress, urging evaluation of the current leadership and decision-making process and a way of ensuring enough funding for the protection, toughening and augmentation of civil and military capabilities. It also advised use of commercial services as much as possible.