ULA Urges Launch Spectrum Record Refresh; Launchers Want No STA Process Change

The FCC needs to refresh the record on spectrum allocated for space launch operations, rather than go ahead with the draft order on its April agenda (see 2103310050), United Launch Alliance (ULA) representatives told aides to Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, per a docket 13-115 ex parte post Thursday. It said the agency shouldn't create a secondary allocation in the 2200-2290 MHz band without evidence the industry would be better served by that than the status quo. It said there should be discussion of a means for "deconfliction" of vying for spectrum among the various nonexclusive licensees. In calls with the regular commissioners' staffs this week, Blue Origin, Launcher, Planet, Relativity Space, Sierra Nevada, SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit, said the April item is "a positive first step," but the agency needs to maintain access to other bands through the special temporary authority licensing process. They suggested an edit to the draft order to make clear it doesn't change the existing STA process or the odds of approvals for band use requests outside the covered allocation.