The FCC posted on Friday an order approved 5-0 on Thursday addressing satellite operations in the 17 GHz band. The agency adopted rule changes enabling non-geostationary orbit-fixed-satellite services to operate in the 17.3-17.7 GHz band for downlinks on a shared, co-primary basis with geostationary satellite orbit services and on a co-primary basis with other incumbents (see 2409260026). “Our action today provides a contiguous 1300 MHz of spectrum for NGSO FSS downlink operations, allowing for technologically innovative and enhanced satellite services to the benefit of American consumers,” the order says: It also aligns “the U.S. Table with the International Table of Allocations to provide a more cohesive global framework for FSS operators and maximize the efficient use of the 17 GHz band.” Only Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks attached statements.

Air France will begin next year rolling out free in-flight connectivity for passengers via SpaceX's Starlink service, the airline said Thursday. Analysts had seen Starlink's United Airlines deal announced earlier this month as a sign of it becoming a more-prominent player in in-flight connectivity (see 2409130002).

Satellite position, navigation and timing company TrustPoint joined the GPS Innovation Alliance, GPSIA said Thursday. GPSIA Executive Director Lisa Dyer said the company's plan for developing a complementary PNT constellation "offers an innovative new dimension in satellite navigation. They will be a valuable addition in our efforts to heighten awareness of the vital contributions of these technologies to public safety, critical infrastructure, and the global economy.”

The satellite industry faces an electric propulsion thruster supply bottleneck, with the largest producer -- Russia's EDB Fakel -- banned from Western supply chains and numerous other EP vendors unable to fill the gap, Quilty Space's Caleb Henry wrote Monday. "As it turns out, [EP] thrusters, especially the Hall-Effect thrusters [proliferated low earth orbit] operators fancy, are extremely hard to manufacture at scale," he said. While several U.S. companies have developed Hall-Effect thrusters of their own or licensed the technology, almost all are still struggling to scale production after years of effort, he said.

AST SpaceMobile's first five commercial BlueBird satellites for direct-to-device service successfully launched Thursday, the company said. In an earnings call with analysts last month, it said the five will provide non-continuous cellular broadband service nationwide across the U.S.

Liberty Media's planned spin-off and reorganization of SiriusXM's ownership structure (see 2406180005) is complete, the two said Monday. They said Sirius XM Holdings started trading Tuesday on Nasdaq under the symbol SIRI.

Spectrum Five (SF) dropped its petition before the FCC without legitimate explanation, and only reinstatement of it will vindicate BIU's interest as a secured lender to the satellite company, petitioner BIU told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in an opening brief Monday (docket 24-1189). BIU is appealing the FCC's dismissal of the financier's petition seeking reinstatement of the SF complaint alleging that Intelsat is interfering with SF's spectrum license (see 2404110053). Alleging license violations by Intelsat and complicity by the FCC in allowing Intelsat to continue unlicensed operations, BIU in its opening brief said the fraudulent withdrawal of the SF petition "must not be allowed to stand or Intelsat’s egregious violations will be allowed to continue unabated." The unauthorized withdrawal of the petition "amounts to a fraud on the Commission itself," it said. The FCC didn't comment Tuesday.

The FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) oversaw 130 launch and reentry operations so far this fiscal year, more than triple the FY 2020 figure. "And the year isn't over yet," Kelvin Coleman, FAA associate administrator-commercial space transportation, said Tuesday during a Senate Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee hearing, according to submitted testimony. There are 26 licensed commercial launch and reentry operators, he said, with the number of licensed commercial space operations likely doubling by FY 2026. The agency averages 151 days to issue a license. AST staffing has reached 150 people, letting personnel "address some of the growing demands that have been placed on our office." He added that the White House's FY 2025 budget request provides funding for additional staff.

Albedo Space is eyeing February for the launch of its initial commercial earth exploration satellite service satellite. It plans having a 24-satellite constellation in orbit by April 2031, it told the FCC Space Bureau in an application posted Monday. It said the constellation, capturing visible and thermal imaging, will operate in very low earth orbit of 320 km.

With the satellite industry rapidly becoming more competitive, SES hopes it can close its proposed purchase of Intelsat by June, the companies told FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, according to a docket 24-267 filing posted Monday. Since the spring announcement of the deal (see 2404300048), nearly 700 satellites have been launched and hundreds more are expected before the commission completes its review, they said.