Spire Global is partnering on Myriota's planned satellite-based IoT network, using Spire's low earth orbit nanosatellites, Spire said Wednesday: That will let Myriota more rapidly expand its constellation coverage beyond its existing footprint that includes North America.

The FCC repeatedly described its April approval of lower orbits for more than 2,800 proposed SpaceX satellites as "reasonable," in an appellee brief Tuesday (in Pacer, docket 21-1123) at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The agency said SpaceX certified it would meet ITU-set interference limits. The FCC said appeals based on supposed environmental effects lack standing since they don't assert an injury within the National Environmental Policy Act zone of interests. Dish Network, Viasat and Balance Group are challenging the SpaceX sign-off (see 2106020036). Appellant outside counsel didn't comment Wednesday.

SpaceX opposition to opening the 12 GHz band to terrestrial 5G is nothing but "rhetoric and misrepresentation that distract from the serious policymaking," RS Access CEO Noah Campbell told FCC Wireless and International Bureau staffers, per a docket 20-443 filing Wednesday. It said there has been no rebuttal of or counters-study to its evidence showing compatibility. SpaceX didn't comment.

A big hurdle to widespread free in-flight Wi-Fi -- limited satellite capacity -- could be lifted in three to five years due to intense competition from low-earth-orbit satellite constellations, plus more supply from high-throughput satellites, Northern Sky Research analyst Joseph Ibeh blogged Tuesday. That could spawn improved service and a sharp reduction in recurring monthly costs, making free Wi-Fi more feasible for many airlines, he said. Advertising-supported user portals and sponsored content also could become more of a norm, he said.

OneWeb completed its acquisition of satellite communications services firm TrustComm, it said Tuesday. The deal was announced in May (see 2105100002).

SpaceX has 15 extra days -- not the 30 it requested (see 2109200003) -- to respond to FCC follow-up questions about the status of the Starlink broadband satellite constellation, per an International Bureau grant Monday.

With the fifth next-generation GPS III satellite launched in June, six through eight are available for launch later this year, Space Force Space Systems Command Capt. Jonathan Teer said Tuesday at a Civil GPS Service Interface Committee meeting. Thirty-seven GPS satellites are in orbit, and prototyping and planning for better future capabilities and new ground systems are constantly underway, Teer said. He said the ninth and 10th GPS III satellites are under production. He said all 17 next-gen GPS III operational control system monitoring stations were complete as of July and transition of operations to them is expected in Q4 2022.

Mega constellations like SpaceX and Amazon's Kuiper raise a common issue of how the FCC can enforce equivalent power flux density (EPFD) limits on non-geostationary orbit systems when the NGSO is using multiple ITU filings, SES/O3b told the International Bureau Monday. To protect geostationary orbit operations, it recommended requiring NGSO systems divulge their EPFD calculation results from ITU's validation system and the data needed to verify those results.

SpaceX is seeking 30 extra days to respond to FCC International Bureau follow-up questions on the Starlink constellation status report submitted this summer, in a request to IB last week. The company said the added time will help it give complete and accurate answers to the "very detailed [questions] about a number of specific satellites as well as a parsing of the categories in which they were placed."

Comments are due Oct. 18 to FAA's draft environmental review for SpaceX's operation of its proposed Starship/Super Heavy launch program in Boca Chica, Texas, the agency said Friday.