SSPI Regulatory & Compliance Standards in Satellite Industry 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (SPACE Act of 2015), which agency oversees the licensing of commercial remote sensing satellites?
- FCC
- FAA
- NOAA (Correct answer)
- Department of Defense
Correct answer: NOAA
NOAA's Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs (CRSRA) office is responsible for licensing U.S. commercial remote sensing space systems under the SPACE Act.
Question 2: What is the 'orbital debris mitigation' rule that the FCC requires for most U.S.-licensed satellites in low Earth orbit?
- Satellites must be deorbited within 25 years of end of mission
- Satellites must be deorbited within 5 years of end of mission (Correct answer)
- Satellites must have autonomous collision avoidance systems
- Satellites must be moved to a graveyard orbit above GEO
Correct answer: Satellites must be deorbited within 5 years of end of mission
The FCC updated its orbital debris mitigation rules in 2022 to require LEO satellites to deorbit within 5 years of mission completion, replacing the older 25-year guideline.
Question 3: Which international treaty forms the legal foundation for satellite operators' liability for damage caused by their spacecraft?
- Outer Space Treaty (1967)
- Liability Convention (1972) (Correct answer)
- Registration Convention (1976)
- Moon Agreement (1979)
Correct answer: Liability Convention (1972)
The Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects (1972) establishes absolute liability for damage caused on Earth's surface and fault-based liability for damage in space.
Question 4: A company wants to operate a Ka-band satellite system that serves both the United States and Europe. Which regulatory bodies would likely need to approve the operation?
- Only the FCC, since the company is U.S.-based
- FCC plus individual European national telecom regulators (Correct answer)
- Only the ITU, as it has global jurisdiction
- FCC and the European Space Agency (ESA)
Correct answer: FCC plus individual European national telecom regulators
Satellite systems serving multiple countries require authorization from each country's national regulator (FCC for the U.S., and respective national regulators in each European country).
Question 5: What is the role of a 'landing rights' authorization in international satellite regulation?
- Permission for a rocket to land at a foreign launch site
- Permission for a foreign satellite operator to provide service to end users in another country (Correct answer)
- The right to access a foreign country's orbital slots
- Authorization for a satellite's ground station to operate in another country
Correct answer: Permission for a foreign satellite operator to provide service to end users in another country
Landing rights authorize a foreign-licensed satellite operator to provide service to end users within a host country's territory, typically granted by the host country's telecom regulator.
Question 6: Under FCC Part 25 rules, what must a satellite operator do if its satellite experiences an anomaly that affects its ability to maintain its authorized orbital position?
- File an informal waiver within 30 days
- Report the anomaly to the FCC promptly and seek authorization for any deviation from licensed parameters (Correct answer)
- Immediately deorbit the satellite
- Transfer the license to a compliant satellite
Correct answer: Report the anomaly to the FCC promptly and seek authorization for any deviation from licensed parameters
FCC Part 25 requires licensees to promptly report anomalies affecting compliance with license conditions and seek FCC authorization before operating outside licensed parameters.
Question 7: Which concept describes the practice of a country filing for satellite orbital slots and spectrum without near-term deployment plans, primarily to gain negotiating leverage?
- Spectrum squatting (Correct answer)
- Orbital warehousing
- Frequency parking
- Slot speculation
Correct answer: Spectrum squatting
Spectrum squatting refers to filing for orbital resources without genuine deployment intent, which the ITU's due diligence milestones and bring-into-use deadlines are designed to prevent.
SSPI Regulatory & Compliance Standards in Satellite Industry 3
Under the U.S.
Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (SPACE Act of 2015), which agency oversees the licensing of commercial remote sensing satellites?