Swarm Wants Access to Data From Unauthorized Satellites

Satellite startup Swarm, subject of an FCC Enforcement Bureau investigation of a previous unauthorized satellite launch (see 1805030034), is asking for agency approval to downlink orbital data from those satellites. In an Office of Engineering and Technology application earlier this month, Swarm said it wants a 180-day special temporary authority for downlinking the data, which then would be made available to other satellite operators and to federal agencies to ensure interested parties have current orbital parameters for four SpaceBee satellites. It said the four are in orbit at roughly 500 kilometers altitude. The company didn't comment Wednesday; the FCC said the investigation is ongoing. Swarm also has a pending experimental license application for launch of more cubesats (see 1806110004).