Earlier this week, on August 25, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) issued a Public Notice seeking public comment on how the agency might increase and improve spectrum access for commercial space launch and reentry activities. The Public Notice follows through on a directive in the Trump Administration’s National Space Transportation Policy memorandum issued last week. Comments are due Monday, September 14, 2026 and reply comments are due Thursday, September 24, 2026.
A key issue on which the Public Notice seeks comment is how the FCC can increase and improve spectrum access for space launch and reentry activities, which currently operate on a secondary basis — meaning they must accept interference from, and may not cause interference to, incumbent users. Pursuant to FCC orders in 2023 and 2024 — the latter implementing provisions of the Launch Communications Act, enacted in September 2024 — space launch and reentry operations currently have access to spectrum in the 2025–2110 MHz, 2200–2290 MHz, and 2360–2395 MHz bands, primarily on a secondary basis.
The FCC’s Public Notice recognizes that the frequencies made available for space launch and reentry activities are heavily used by incumbent operations and seeks comment on the frequency and cadence of commercial space launches, which use spectrum for various activities, including pre-launch testing, telemetry, tracking, and command for launch and reentry operations. The Public Notice raises a number of questions about how the FCC can act to improve the availability and reliability of spectrum for these activities, including whether additional spectrum bands should be considered and, if so, which bands are appropriate. It also asks whether any new allocations should be on a secondary, primary, or co-primary basis, and whether new spectrum coordination processes could improve efficient sharing between commercial space launch and reentry operations and incumbent users.
The National Space Transportation Policy memorandum issued last week directs the Secretary of Commerce and the FCC Chairman to “ensure reliable access to spectrum for commercial and Federal space launch, reentry, recovery, and on-orbit activities,” and to report to the President “on their approach to ensuring reliable access to spectrum.” The initial report, which yesterday’s Public Notice cites as a motivator, is due within 180 days — with follow-up reports due every two years thereafter.