ITU News interview Julie Zoller, who oversees the key regulatory affairs portfolio for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, which aims to launch a constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites to provide low-latency, high-quality broadband connectivity worldwide. She previously served as chief government affairs officer at Omnispace, and in tech-related policy roles at the US State Department, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and at the US Department of Defense.

Snippet:

To deliver service, we’re building a constellation of 3236 satellites that will operate between 590 kilometres and 630 kilo‑metres in altitude. Operating in low Earth orbit (LEO) has the dual benefit of lower latency and shorter de-orbit times, which is good for customers and space safety.

Describe your typical day as Head of Global Regulatory Affairs.

In a typical day, I’ll have a staff meeting or attend a review, meet with my team to advance a particular regulatory matter, spend some time in one‑on‑one conversations with staff members, and read regulatory documents. Last July, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorized us to deploy and operate the Kuiper NGSO (non-geostationary) system.

Getting our license was a major milestone, but we still have lots of work to do. We engage regularly in rule makings, and we’re currently conducting technical studies in preparation for the 2023 ITU World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC‑23).

Article https://www.itu.int/en/myitu/News/2021/06/30/07/56/Satellites-connect-the-unconnected-Julie-Zoller

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News Analysis MIKE DANO, Editorial Director, 5G & Mobile Strategies 4/27/2021

The FCC approved a request by SpaceX’s Starlink to make changes to its constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The ruling represents a setback to Starlink competitors like Viasat and Amazon that had argued against the changes, as well as a knock against Dish Network.

For its part, Dish has been vehemently urging the FCC to reject the requests by SpaceX to modify its satellite operations. Dish’s ultimate goal is to get the agency to allow 5G operations in the 12GHz band – the same band that SpaceX is in part using for its expanding LEO satellite Internet services.

“Dish reiterates its request that any grant of SpaceX’s … modification should exclude the 12GHz band,” Dish wrote to the FCC just last week.

But the FCC announced Tuesday it plans to take the opposite approach.

“We grant subject to the conditions set forth herein the application of Space Exploration Holdings, LLC (SpaceX) for modification of its license for a non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) fixed-satellite service (FSS) constellation,” the agency wrote in a new order. SpaceX requested a number of changes to its LEO satellites, including lowering their altitude from around 680 miles above Earth’s surface to around 335 miles. The agency said SpaceX can continue to use the 12GHz band for its operations.

However, the agency didn’t shut the door to eventually allowing 5G operations into that same band.

“We recently released the 12GHz NPRM [Notice of Proposed Rulemaking], which assesses the potential for terrestrial 5G use of the band,” the FCC wrote. “We decline to prejudge any aspects of the 12GHz rulemaking proceeding by either commenting on the ability of terrestrial and satellite operators to share spectrum in the frequency band more generally, or by denying the requested modification that would include authorization to use the 12.2-12.7GHz band.”

Indeed, the FCC said that SpaceX can proceed with its changes, but that it needs to be aware that 5G might also be allowed into the 12GHz band at some point in the future – and that it should plan accordingly. “SpaceX proceeds at its own risk,” the agency wrote.

Read more at: https://www.lightreading.com/5g/dishs-5g-ambitions-for-12ghz-face-setback/d/d-id/769076

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Source: https://www.reuters.com/technology/fcc-votes-approve-spacex-satellite-plan-official-2021-04-27/

Reuters, David Shepardson

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said on Tuesday it had voted to approve a SpaceX plan to deploy Starlink satellites at a lower earth orbit as part of the company’s push to offer space-based broadband internet service.

The decision, which Reuters reported earlier on Tuesday, includes a number of conditions to ensure the safety of the plan.

The approval order addresses some concerns raised by Amazon.com’s (AMZN.O) Kuiper Systems satellite project. The FCC said SpaceX has agreed to accept interference from the Kuiper system “where operating SpaceX’s satellites at lower altitudes will potentially make SpaceX more susceptible to interference.”

Elon Musk’s SpaceX had asked the FCC for approval to fly 2,824 additional satellites at a lower orbit as part of its space-based broadband internet service plan.

Read more at https://www.reuters.com/technology/fcc-votes-approve-spacex-satellite-plan-official-2021-04-27/

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by Andrew Jones — April 21, 2021

HELSINKI — China is to oversee the construction and operation of a national satellite internet megaconstellation through coordinating the country’s major space actors. 

Recent comments by senior officials indicate that plans are moving ahead to alter earlier constellation plans by space sector state-owned enterprises and possibly make these part of a larger “Guowang” or “national network” satellite internet project. 

Spectrum allocation filings submitted to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) by China in September last year revealed plans to construct two similarly named “GW” low Earth orbit constellations totaling 12,992 satellites. 

The filings indicate plans for GW to consist of sub-constellations ranging from 500-1,145 kilometers in altitude with inclinations between 30-85 degrees. The satellites would operate across a range of frequency bands.

Read more at: https://spacenews.com/china-is-developing-plans-for-a-13000-satellite-communications-megaconstellation/

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BY ALAN BOYLE on March 11, 2021

SpaceX, Amazon and OneWeb say their satellite mega-constellations will make broadband internet goodness available to billions of people around the world who are unserved or underserved — but some say those promises have to be weighed against the potential perils.

These critics cite the risk of catastrophic satellite collisions, concerns about cybersecurity and worries about environmental and health impacts  — including impacts on astronomical observations and the beauties of the night sky.

Such concerns are likely to intensify as SpaceX and OneWeb add to their current fleets of satellites in low Earth orbit, and as Amazon gets set to deploy more than 3,200 satellites for its Project Kuiper broadband network. If all the plans laid out for those ventures come to pass, tens of thousands of satellites could be put into orbit over the next decade.

Early today, SpaceX sent its latest batch of 60 Starlink satellites into orbit, bringing the total number of satellites launched to 1,265.

The latest challenge to the mega-constellations was filed today with the Federal Communications Commission. A coalition of policy groups is calling on the FCC to put a 180-day hold on further approvals for broadband data satellite deployments, in order to conduct a more thoroughgoing assessment of the risks.

Read more at: https://www.geekwire.com/2021/critics-take-aim-spacex-starlink-amazon-kuiper-satellite-constellations/

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Amazon Web Services and Blue Origin could mean the satellite constellation becomes part of a larger ecosystem.

17 Aug 2020 | 19:00 GMT

By Michael Koziol

Amazon cleared an important hurdle when the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on 30 July that the company was authorized to deploy and operate its Kuiper satellite constellation. The authorization came with the caveat that Amazon would still have to demonstrate that Kuiper would not interfere with previously authorized satellite projects, such as SpaceX’s Starlink.

Even with the FCC’s caveat, it’s tempting to imagine that the idea of putting a mega-constellation of thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit to provide uninterrupted broadband access anywhere on Earth will become a battle between Jeff Bezos’ Kuiper and Elon Musk’s Starlink. After all, even in space, how much room can there be for two mega-constellations, let alone additional efforts like that of the recently-beleaguered OneWeb? But some experts suggest that Amazon’s real play will come from its ability to vertically integrate Kuiper into the rest of the Amazon ecosystem—an ability SpaceX cannot match with Starlink.

Read more at: https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/satellites/amazons-project-kuiper-is-more-than-the-companys-response-to-spacex

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8/13/20 at 11:57 AM by Bernie Arnason

A Reddit forum for SpaceX’s Starlink has revealed the first speeds for the new satellite broadband service. SpaceX has already launched hundreds of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites that will power this next generation satellite broadband service.

Excerpt:

Coverage is currently limited to the Northern region of the U.S. and the southern region of Canada. The Reddit forum featured Starlink speeds appear to be from beta users in the state of Washington.

SpaceX has big plans for Starlink. It eventually plans to put thousands of LEO satellites in orbit, presumably offering nationwide coverage for broadband. LEO-based satellite broadband provides better broadband performance than traditional satellite broadband, which uses satellites at much higher geostationary orbit.

SpaceX is hoping the USF program will help fund its growth plans. The company aims to participate in the upcoming RDOF auction. SpaceX isn’t alone in the LEO satellite broadband space race. Amazon and others are joining them.

It’s very early in this new satellite broadband era. As impressive as some might think the early Starlink speeds are (or not impressive, depending on your perspective), there are many questions about the viability of LEO-based satellite broadband over the long term. There is no shortage of skeptics.

Read more at: https://www.telecompetitor.com/first-spacex-starlink-satellite-broadband-speeds-revealed/#:~:text=Using%20the%20Ookla%20Speedtest%20app,beta%20users%20for%20the%20service.

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on July 30 approved Amazon’s request to operate a constellation of roughly 3,200 internet satellites in low Earth orbit. 

The FCC said Amazon has until July 30, 2026 to launch at least 50% of its satellites in order to maintain its authorization, and until July 30, 2029 to orbit the full constellation. 

Amazon has not outlined a launch plan for Kuiper yet, and told the FCC its constellation is still being designed. The company said it anticipates launching Kuiper satellites in five waves and starting service once the first, comprised of 578 satellites, is in orbit. 

Read more at: https://spacenews.com/amazons-kuiper-constellation-gets-fcc-approval/#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20%E2%80%94%20The%20U.S.%20Federal%20Communications,satellites%20in%20low%20Earth%20orbit.

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