Can FCC Regulation Keep Up With Space Race 2.0?
As satellite filings surge, the FCC is proposing a new framework to speed space licensing
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission is proposing a major rewrite of its satellite licensing rules, saying the current framework cannot keep pace with the rapid growth of the commercial space sector.
The proposal, in the Space Modernization for the 21st Century docket, would introduce a new framework, dubbed Part 100, to replace the FCC’s long-running Part 25 rules and aims to shorten timelines by standardizing applications and shifting many filings toward a certification-based model.
Part 25 currently governs how the FCC licenses the core components of satellite communications, including space stations, which are satellite systems operating in orbit, and earth stations, the antennas and ground facilities on Earth that send signals to satellites and receive data in return.
FCC Space Bureau attorney Gregory Coutros said Part 25 was built for a lower-volume era and relied on case-by-case review that no longer works for modern non-geostationary constellations, Earth observation systems, and “ground station as a service.” He was speaking at a Jan. 26 Federal Communications Bar Association event.
In 2024, the FCC received 295 space station applications and nearly 3,000 earth station applications, he said, far above the volume seen roughly a decade earlier. The result has been extensive back-and-forth over non-standard filings and delays before applications even reach public notice.
Coutros described Part 100 as a move toward a “licensing assembly line,” with clear inputs and clearer expectations for review. He said the proposal is built around four goals: Faster processing, more predictability, greater flexibility for innovation, and oversight strong enough to ensure compliance.
Change to a certification-based process
A central change is a certification-based process. Applicants who can certify they meet bright-line requirements and provide the required supporting information would be eligible for faster processing.
Part 100 would also move many earth station filings away from individual, site-by-site licensing and toward blanket licensing with registration, reflecting the growing number of ground facilities and repeated near-identical filings.
Speakers supported the modernization effort but cautioned that approvals could still be slowed by factors outside the FCC’s authority.
Danielle Piñeres of Planet Labs PBC, a publicly traded Earth imaging company, said licensing timelines often don’t match commercial launch schedules. She said companies can file major modifications nine to 12 months before launch but still wait more than a year for approvals, forcing additional filings as system designs evolve.
Piñeres and others at the FCBA event also flagged federal spectrum coordination as a persistent choke point for operators using frequencies shared with federal agencies. Several panelists said the coordination process can be slow and difficult to track, limiting how much faster licensing can become even if FCC procedures improve.
Satellite Industry Association President Tom Stroup emphasized the need for clarity on how existing Part 25 precedent will carry into Part 100. He warned that improved rules will still require sufficient staff and IT resources to deliver faster processing.
Member discussion