As it reviews SpaceX's requested modification for its second-generation satellites, including the company's authorization request for 22,488 pending satellites (see 2410150002), the FCC Space Bureau is seeking clarification on spectrum and orbital altitude issues. In a letter dated Tuesday, the commission asked SpaceX to elaborate on additional frequency needed for the 7,500 previously-authorized satellites. It also asked whether any of its second-generation satellites would operate at 525-535 km or if they would all be in orbital shells of 475-485 km. Moreover, it asked whether the company could comply with existing ITU equivalent power flux density limits with the proposed upgrades to its system. And it asked that SpaceX provide its calculations of interference levels into geostationary orbit operations for the authorized 7,500 satellites and the 29,988-satellite system. It asked for answers to its questions by Feb. 7.

Chilean authorities have granted the authorizations needed for SpaceX and mobile service partner Entel PCS Telecomunicaciones to commence supplemental coverage from space service in the South American country, SpaceX told the FCC in a filing posted Monday in docket 23-135. It was the latest in a series of SpaceX notifications to the commission regarding SCS service being ready to launch in foreign markets (see 2412200045).

Globalstar is partnering with Peiker Holding Gmbh on satellite-based emergency services and telematics services for the automotive industry, the satellite operator said Tuesday.

SpaceX's Starship rocket and its large capacity could drive down already-plummeting satellite bandwidth costs even more, ARK Investment analyst Sam Korus wrote Monday. The cost of satellite bandwidth has dropped 7,500-fold since 2004, from $300 million per Gbps to $40,000 per Gbps, and Starship could prompt another 40-fold decline, to roughly $1,000/Gbps by 2028, he said. "Clearly, competitors are finding it difficult to match SpaceX’s cost declines," he said.

Ligado's Chapter 11 bankruptcy stems from the U.S. government opposing company efforts to create a terrestrial wireless network using L-band spectrum, as well as Viasat's attempts at obtaining sole access to that same spectrum, Ligado's CEO contends. In an affidavit submitted Monday with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware (docket 25-10006) as part of Ligado's Chapter 11 filing (see 2501060026), Doug Smith said government action -- particularly by DOD -- has deprived it of substantial revenue while the company also has invested heavily in an L-band terrestrial network. Smith said unfounded claims about how Ligado's proposed service could interfere with GPS have hurt the company's future revenue potential "by creating substantial uncertainties and pressure" on its business model and prospects. "As a result, the Debtors do not yet generate adequate cash flows from operations to fund their operating expenses and capital expenditures," Smith said. Separately, talks with Viasat over the amount paid to Inmarsat regarding Ligado's and Inmarsat's L-band coordination were suddenly "upended," Smith said. Viasat rejected alternatives to the Ligado/Inmarsat cooperation agreement terms "and revealed that its true intent is to access the Debtors’ spectrum," he said. It "became clear in the weeks leading up to the commencement of these Chapter 11 Cases that, in reality, Viasat was not interested in reaching a workable commercial resolution." Ligado has litigation pending before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims against the U.S. over the L-band spectrum (see 2411180023). Viasat didn't comment Tuesday.

Eutelsat experienced a 48-hour outage on its OneWeb Low Orbit service starting on Tuesday, the company reported Thursday. “The root cause was identified as a software issue within the ground segment,” said a news release: “Eutelsat was fully mobilized and worked with the vendor to restore full service, while maintaining a constant dialogue with affected customers. The constellation is operating nominally once again.”

The FCC released on Tuesday an order reallocating the 2360-2395 MHz band on a secondary basis for space launch operations (see 2412190044). Commissioners approved the order 5-0 Dec. 23, ahead of the Dec. 25 statutory deadline set in the Launch Communications Act, which was enacted in September (see 2409270060). The order also incorporates the band into the FCC’s Part 26 space launch regulatory framework, which includes space launch licensing and frequency coordination rules. “To protect critical federal and non-federal flight testing operations,” the FCC also incorporates into the Part 26 rules “certain technical rules” from the agency’s Part 87 rules covering aviation industry communications. “Throughout this proceeding, the Commission has recognized that reliable spectrum access for space launch operations, which includes transportation of cargo and people into space, orbital launches to place satellites into space, and suborbital launches, is crucial to ensuring that the United States remains a global leader in space and innovation,” the order said: “Today, by implementing the recent Congressional directive, we take further steps to ensure that commercial space launch companies have reliable access to the necessary radio spectrum to communicate with their launch and reentry vehicles.” The 2360-2395 MHz band comes atop the 2025-2110 and 2200-2290 MHz allocations for space launch activities commissioners approved in the fall (see 2309210055).

The deadline for Lynk Global's business combination with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Slam Corp. -- previously expected in the second half of this year (see 2402050065) -- has been moved to June 30, Slam told the SEC this month. The deal will take Lynk public, with the two operating as Lynk Global Holdings. The Lynk SPAC agreement was announced in December 2023 (see 2312190004).

Logos Space Services CEO Milo Medin, meeting with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr's office, urged that his company's non-geostationary orbit constellation application be put on public notice expeditiously, said a Space Bureau posting last week. Logos' plans call for a 3,960-satellite constellation to offer business connectivity (see 2410310003).

Letting SpaceX provide supplemental coverage from space service in the 1429-2690 MHz band runs contrary to FCC efforts to limit the interference potential that SCS operations pose, Viasat said in a petition filed Thursday with the FCC Space Bureau. Seeking a reconsideration of the agency's November SCS authorization for SpaceX (see 2411260043), Viasat said the authorization improperly lets SpaceX operate in band segments not available for SCS or mobile satellite service. Viasat said the order improperly lets SpaceX conduct operations without using the modified processing-round procedures that the FCC requires.