Waivers to Five-Year Rule Could 'Gut' Sustainability Incentives: SpaceX

SpaceX is resisting calls by some satellite operators that the FCC allow waivers, in its proposed five-year post-mission disposal requirement (see 2209200041). In docket 18-313 recaps of a meeting with aides to all four commissioners Monday, SpaceX said exemptions or overly-permissive waivers would undermine the five-year rule's incentives. Exempting or liberally giving waivers to non-maneuverable satellites or high-altitude operations "would gut" the incentive operators have to design systems and missions with sustainability as a key trait, it said. The company urged waivers only in exceptional circumstances, and that waiver requests should include a per-satellite passive-decay collision risk analysis. SpaceX on Sunday told the International Bureau that Dish Network's opposition to sharing the 2 GHz band (see 2209220068) features the meritless attacks it has made in other proceedings but doesn't bring up any legal or factual arguments relevant to the application itself. The company said its 2 GHz plans don't go against agency rules governing the band. It said if Dish ever changes direction after more than a decade of letting its 2 GHz mobile satellite service remain unproductive, it can coordinate with SpaceX. Dish didn't comment.