Smallsat Operators Back Kepler/Spire MSS Petition

Adding a small-satellite mobile satellite service spectrum allocation in the 2020-2025 MHz band would help feed smallsat operators' growing spectrum needs, and that unpaired band -- underused for more than 20 years -- seems of little value to terrestrial services, said Planet Labs, SpaceQuest, Myriota, Care Weather Technologies, Fleet Space Technologies, Xplore, Spire Global and Kepler Communications. Allocations available now to smallsat operators "are in many cases limited and unsustainable," they said posted in RM-11869 Monday. They urged an NPRM to "transparently evaluate the technical proposals of all interested parties." The allocation sought by Spire and Kepler faced some opposition (for example, see 2101140061).