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.
