FCC Sends Mobile Ground Station Final Rule to OMB

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had received a final rule from the FCC on “Amendment of Parts 2 and 25 of the FCC Rules to Facilitate the Use of Earth Stations in Motion Communicating with Geostationary Orbit Space Stations in FSS Bands: IB Docket No. 17-95”. A notice of proposed rulemaking was published on June 16th, 2017. A further notice of proposed rulemaking was published on July 24th, 2020. Portions of the first NPRM were adopted in a Report and Order notice published on July 24th, 2020. 

According to the 2026 Unified Agenda entry for this rulemaking: 

“In June 2017, the Commission began a rulemaking to streamline, consolidate, and harmonize rules governing earth stations in motion (ESIMs) used to provide satellite-based services on ships, airplanes and vehicles communicating with geostationary-satellite orbit (GSO), fixed-satellite service (FSS) satellite systems. In September 2018, the Commission adopted rules governing communications of ESIMs with GSO satellites. These rules addressed communications in the conventional C-, Ku-, and Ka-bands, as well as portions of the extended Ku-band. At the same time, the Commission also released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that sought comment on allowing ESIMs to operate in all of the frequency bands in which earth stations at fixed locations operating in GSO FSS satellite networks can be blanket-licensed. Specifically, comment was sought on expanding the frequencies available for communications of ESIMs with GSO FSS satellites to include the following frequency bands: 10.7-10.95 GHz, 11.2-11.45 GHz, 17.8-18.3 GHz, 18.8-19.3 GHz, 19.3-19.4 GHz, 19.6-19.7 GHz (space-to-Earth); and 28.6-29.1 GHz (Earth-to-space).” 

NOTE: The above UA agenda entry was posted in the ‘Long Term Actions’ portion of the Agenda with a note: “Next Action Undetermined”. It is unusual, but not unprecedented, for a rulemaking to so quickly change status. 

This rulemaking will only receive limited notice in this blog under my limited Space Geek coverage. 

OMB Approves FCC Satellite Spectrum Final Rule

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had approved a final rule from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on “Satellite Spectrum Abundance (SB Docket No. 25-180)”. The FCC published the notice of proposed rulemaking for this action in June 2025. The final rule was sent to OIRA on August 20th, 2026. 

According to the 2026 Unified Agenda entry for this rulemaking: 

“On May 22, 2025, the Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to seek further comment on ways to use the 12.7-13.25 GHz band (12.7 GHz band) and the 42.0-42.5 GHz band (42 GHz band) more efficiently and intensively. Specifically, the item seeks comment on the possibility of achieving more intensive use of the 12.7 GHz band by satellite communications through the removal of existing regulatory restrictions and the opening of the band to a wider range of satellite operations. Likewise, it seeks comment on the potential for more intensive use of the 42 GHz band by adding for the first time an allocation for fixed-satellite service (FSS). In both instances, the item seeks comment on ways to protect any incumbent spectrum users in the bands, as well as ways to protect spectrum users, particularly Federal operators, in adjacent bands.” 

This rulemaking will not be covered in any detail in this blog; under my limited Space Geek coverage I expect to announce its publication in the appropriate Short Takes post. 

FCC Sends Direct-to-Device NPRM to OMB

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had received a notice of proposed rulemaking from the FCC on “Unleashing Unlicensed Spectrum for Direct-to-Device”. 

According to the 2026 Unified Agenda entry for this rulemaking: 

“As space launches and satellite deployment continue to increase, companies with space-based operations are increasingly looking to expand capacity, reduce cost, and increase the utility of their operations.  The increase in space launches, coupled with the growing diversity of non-satellite spacecraft, has resulted in a growing need to support communication in space and between Earth and space. To meet this growing need, the Commission begins this proceeding to explore unlicensed device use in space.” 

FCC Sends Satellite Spectrum Abundance Final Rule to OMB

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had received a final rule from the Federa Communications Commission (FCC) on “Satellite Spectrum Abundance (SB Docket No. 25-180)”. The notice of proposed rulemaking for this action was published on June 27th, 2025.  

According to the 2026 Unified Agenda Entry for this rulemaking: 

“On May 22, 2025, the Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to seek further comment on ways to use the 12.7-13.25 GHz band (12.7 GHz band) and the 42.0-42.5 GHz band (42 GHz band) more efficiently and intensively. Specifically, the item seeks comment on the possibility of achieving more intensive use of the 12.7 GHz band by satellite communications through the removal of existing regulatory restrictions and the opening of the band to a wider range of satellite operations. Likewise, it seeks comment on the potential for more intensive use of the 42 GHz band by adding for the first time an allocation for fixed-satellite service (FSS). In both instances, the item seeks comment on ways to protect any incumbent spectrum users in the bands, as well as ways to protect spectrum users, particularly Federal operators, in adjacent bands.” 

OMB Approves Direct-to-Device NPRM

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had approved a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) from the FCC on “Unleashing Unlicensed Spectrum for Direct-to-Device”. The NPRM was sent to OMB yesterday. 

According to the 2026 Unified Agenda entry for this rulemaking: 

“As space launches and satellite deployment continue to increase, companies with space-based operations are increasingly looking to expand capacity, reduce cost, and increase the utility of their operations.  The increase in space launches, coupled with the growing diversity of non-satellite spacecraft, has resulted in a growing need to support communication in space and between Earth and space. To meet this growing need, the Commission begins this proceeding to explore unlicensed device use in space.” 

I do not expect to cover this rulemaking in any detail, but it will get mentioned in the appropriate Short Takes post as part of my limited Space Geek coverage. 

OMB Approves FCC Space Modernization Final Rule

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had approved a final rule from the FCC on “Space Modernization for the 21st Century (SB Docket No. 25.306)”. The final rule was submitted to OIRA on July 27th, 2026. 

According to the 2026 Unified Agenda Entry for this rulemaking:  

“In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Notice), the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes to modernize the Commission’s space and earth station licensing process to allow space companies to more freely and successfully compete in the marketplace to serve the American people. In particular, the Notice proposes to develop a licensing assembly line” designed to route applications for efficient review based on specific aspects of a request. It further proposes to change the public notice timelines to allow for faster application processing; proposes reforms to bonds, processing rounds, license terms, and milestones; and substantially updates the earth station licensing regime.” 

With this quick (1 day turnaround) approval of the rulemaking, I would not be surprised to see this final rule published in the Federal Register this week. I do not expect to provide any detailed coverage of this final rule. Under my limited Space Geek coverage, I will at least mention its publication in the appropriate Short Takes post. 

FCC Sends Space Modernization Final Rule to OMB

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had received a final rule from the FCC on “Space Modernization for the 21st Century (SB Docket No. 25.306)”. The FCC published the notice of proposed rulemaking on December 5th, 2025. 

According to the 2026 Unified Agenda entry for this rulemaking: 

“In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Notice), the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes to modernize the Commission’s space and earth station licensing process to allow space companies to more freely and successfully compete in the marketplace to serve the American people. In particular, the Notice proposes to develop a licensing assembly line” designed to route applications for efficient review based on specific aspects of a request. It further proposes to change the public notice timelines to allow for faster application processing; proposes reforms to bonds, processing rounds, license terms, and milestones; and substantially updates the earth station licensing regime.” 

This comes from the Long-Term Actions portion of the Agenda, which should have indicated that the FCC did not intend to take any action on the rulemaking in the next 12 months. This might explain why the dates provided in the entry for the ANPRM and NPRM were not reflective of the dates such documents were published in the Federal Register; apparently being reflective of publication dates in the FCC’s SB Docket (for example here). 

OMB Approves FCC Part 15 Devices in Space NPRM

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had approved a notice of proposed rulemaking from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on “Operation of Part 15 Devices in Space (ET Docket 25-XXX)”. The NPRM was submitted to OIRA on June 11th, 2026. 

According to the 2026 Unified Agenda entry for this rulemaking:  

“As space launches and satellite deployment continue to increase, companies with space-based operations are increasingly looking to expand capacity, reduce cost, and increase the utility of their operations.  The increase in space launches, coupled with the growing diversity of non-satellite spacecraft, has resulted in a growing need to support communication in space and between Earth and space. To meet this growing need, the Commission begins this proceeding to explore unlicensed device use in space.” 

The ‘Part 15’ references electronic transmission devices covered under 47 CFR Part 15, devices that “may be operated without an individual license.” {§15.1(a)} 

I do not expect to cover this NPRM in any detail, but as part of my limited Space Geek coverage, I will at least include notification of the publication in the appropriate Short Takes post.