What is the FCC?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the US independent regulatory agency responsible for regulating all communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable originating in the United States. For satellite operators globally, the FCC is the most important national regulator because the US market is the world's largest, US spectrum licences are required to serve US customers, and FCC decisions on matters like debris mitigation timelines and spectrum sharing set global precedents adopted by other regulators.
FCC satellite licensing
Any satellite operator wishing to provide service in the United States — whether the satellites are US-registered or foreign — must obtain FCC authorisation. This covers: space station licences (for the satellite itself), earth station licences (for gateway and user terminal operations), market access grants (for non-US operators), and special temporary authorities (STAs) for testing and limited operation. SpaceX, Amazon Kuiper, and other US mega-constellation operators submitted their FCC filings for authorisation of thousands of satellite licences as a prerequisite to launch.
Landmark rulings
The FCC's 2022 order reducing the post-mission disposal requirement for LEO satellites from 25 years to 5 years was the most significant debris mitigation regulatory action globally. The FCC also establishes rules for sharing satellite and terrestrial spectrum in the 12 GHz band (the 12 GHz proceeding affecting Starlink and potential new 5G entrants), sets EIRP limits for earth stations, and reviews satellite constellation environmental assessments under NEPA.