As part of a new plan to modernize America’s space infrastructure, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed changes to the licensing and operation of space and earth stations to make eligible vessels such as those in the Guice Offshore fleet.
Written comments or proposals for additional related changes are due to the FCC by November 25, 2026. Reply comments (a secondary response used to address or critique comments filed by other participants) are due December 28, 2026.
- Click HERE for instructions on how to submit your comments.
While the United States is already the world leader in commercial space, the FCC explains the industry is rapidly moving to build the space infrastructure of the future. Therefore, the FCC is aggressively moving to support commercial deployment of space infrastructure.
In pursuit of this goal, the FCC must ensure the United States is the best place for the space industry to build, operate and license. Today’s commercial space industry is rapidly innovating, requiring a regulatory framework that provides speed, predictability and flexibility. Therefore, the FCC is moving forward with modernizing these rules to build a space “licensing assembly line,” and also adopted a new Part 100 on July 22, 2026–a modernized regulatory framework that replaces legacy Part 25 rules for commercial space station and earth station licensing.
A New Type of Space and Earth Station
The FCC proposes creating a new type of space and earth station license for developing or experimental technologies that would provide companies a clear and predictable pathway to a short-term license for the purpose of testing new technology or providing proof of concept before moving to commercial operations.
The agency explains that these changes would be beneficial for the American space industry because they would provide a distinct set of rules tailored for space companies from the developmental stage through the commercial and operational stage. The changes are also expected to increase the FCC’s administrative efficiency by applying a consistent licensing framework to all space and earth station licenses.
The agency seeks comment, for example, on a “Nomadic Terminals” definition that could include ESIMs (Earth Stations in Motion–satellite antennas mounted on vehicles, ships and aircraft), along with user terminals, consumer handsets, IoT devices, and other portable, non-industrial equipment, and the terminals under this definition would be regulated based on how they are used.
For instance, the FCC asks whether there should be different requirements for terminals continuously in motion or on a plane or on a vessel, as opposed to those that are normally fixed but theoretically capable of being relocated? Should a two-tier approach be adopted? Would combining ESIMs and user terminals under a single definition reduce the confusion and the redundancy that applicants face when applying for licenses?
FCC regulators think that the definitions related to ESIMs warrant a more robust change to reflect the new technology that did not exist when the ESIM rules were established.
Currently, the FCC’s rules do not include a specific definition for “site” as it relates to earth stations. Although the agency anticipates that sites will be registered on an antenna-by-antenna basis for Immovable Earth Stations, the rules vary in how a site can be defined.
For instance, the definition of an ESIM could be read to include cellular phones operating on FSS to communicate with a satellite if used from an Earth Station on Vessel (ESV), Vehicle-Mounted Earth Station (VMES), or ESAA, with accounting for considerations that ESAAs or ESVs are also subject to international treaties.
Can A Drone Qualify as an ESIM (Earth Station in Motion)?
The FCC also seeks specific comment on changes that would provide regulatory clarity for unmanned aircraft systems (Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) or drones).
The agency says a drone may qualify as an ESIM and utilize eligible spectrum under current regulations to the extent that it sends or receives radiofrequency (RF) signals to or from an authorized FSS satellite system.
To foster a competitive drone connectivity market with multiple providers and minimal barriers to entry, it is the FCC’s overarching goal to provide spectrum access to a diverse array of UAS operators using all eligible frequencies, without the need for individualized licensing or a heavyweight technical envelope.
