Rosenworcel Plans Creation of Space Bureau

Noting an FCC structure built for another era without mega constellations or space entrepreneurship, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel unveiled plans Thursday for an International Bureau reorganization including creating a Space Bureau to handle all space-related issues and a stand-alone Office of International Affairs. Agency and space industry officials said one hoped-for effect would be swifter processing of space operation applications. The commission didn't comment on expected time frame for the reorganization or what kind of additional resources the new bureau might have.

At a Satellite Industry Association-hosted event, Rosenworcel and SIA President Tom Stroup framed the reorganization against a backdrop of a rapidly growing and changing commercial space sector. More satellites were launched so far this year than existed 10 years ago, and total satellite throughput is up sixfold during the same time span, Stroup said. The FCC has pending applications for 64,000 satellites, and applications for fixed satellite service gateway earth stations are up eightfold over the past year, Rosenworcel said.

Along with a faster review process, creating a Space Bureau should result in "a lot more engineering and policy capability at the FCC," said Umair Javed, Rosenworcel's chief counsel. "This isn't about growing the scope of the FCC," he said. "This is about doing the job we're supposed to do better." Discussions with lawmakers, the other commissioners and organized labor are underway, he said.

Under the government's Federal Housekeeping Statute, agency leadership generally has discretion to do an internal reorganization, such as creating a new division, unless that reorganization would run afoul of statutory language, said American University administrative law professor Jeffrey Lubbers.

The space industry and others applauded the bureau plan. "Well this is cool," said Public Knowledge Senior Vice President Harold Feld tweeted. He said it should lead to satellite items being processed more quickly. Echoed Josh Turner, Wiley communications lawyer: Rosenworcel's move "to recognize the centrality of space in 21st Century communications is legitimately very cool." Stroup said he was "ecstatic."

The increased focus on space should help with more attention to future World Radiocommunication Conference agenda items, said Jennifer Warren, Lockheed Martin vice president-civil and regulatory affairs and SIA board chair. She said the reorganization "sends a strong signal internationally" that the FCC is looking to push U.S. leadership in the overall commercialization of space. Board Vice Chair Julie Zoller, global regulatory affairs head for Amazon's Kuiper, said it also could be encouraging to new entrants that more staff will be available to answer questions.

TechFreedom "has somewhat mixed feelings," emailed General Counsel Jim Dunstan. "This might be just a ceremonial move that won't be a harbinger of actual change," though if it can speed application processing "and break the 'three year cycle' of licensing that's been the norm for decades, it could be a huge leap forward," he said. Of concern though is that the Space Bureau could signal further regulatory mission creep by the agency, which already has "somewhat questionable authority" to put orbital debris mitigation requirements on satcom systems, he said.