SpaceX's Starlink Group 6-11 mission launch Saturday marked a milestone 100th FAA licensed space operation of launches and reentries so far this fiscal year, the agency said Monday. It said more are to be added before the year ends Sept. 30. SpaceX said FY 2022 saw 74 FAA-licensed commercial space operations in total.

Satellite-delivered broadband "offers particular promise," advocacy groups said, urging the U.S. to push at the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference for expanded spectrum access for low earth orbit constellations. In a letter Monday to the FCC, NTIA and State Department, the signatories said modernizing "outdated" ITU coexistence criteria would allow more-efficient and equitable access to shared spectrum. The signatories include the American Library Association, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Center for Rural Strategies, Information Technology Industry Foundation, Open Technology Institute at New America, Public Knowledge and R Street Institute.

Loft Orbital Solutions hopes to launch a 10-satellite low earth orbit constellation, YAC-1, in launches in June and October 2024, it told the FCC Space Bureau in an application last week. The 10 satellites would host an earth observation system for Loft customer EarthDaily Analytics Corp., with Loft operating the constellation for EarthDaily, it said.

Satellite operators will likely start facing challenges in getting insurance due to the recent spate of expensive geostationary orbit (GSO) satellite anomalies, William Blair analyst Louie DiPalma wrote investors Friday after Viasat's announcement of an Inmarsat-6 F2 malfunction. Viasat said the I6 F2, which launched Feb. 18, had a power subsystem anomaly during its orbit raising. It said it and satellite manufacturer Airbus will determine the cause and whether the satellite "will be able to perform." It was launched to provide spare L-band and Ka-band capacity, Viasat said, noting the I6 F2 was insured, and the twin I6 F1 launched in December 2021 is operational and is performing as expected. Viasat said it has three L-band satellites and seven more Ka-band satellites under construction. The I6F2 anomaly follows Viasat reporting problems last month with a reflector on its ViaSat-3 satellite (see 2307130003) and Astranis' delayed start of service by its Arcturus satellite, launched in April, due to solar array drive assembly problems (see 2307210017). DiPalma said the impact of the Viasat losses is mitigated by the redundancy of the ViaSat and Inmarsat networks. The overall market opportunity for insurers is shrinking as low earth orbit becomes more important, with insurance providers dropping out altogether, meaning it "may become all but impossible to insure the most expensive ... satellites," satellite and spectrum consultant Tim Farrar posted on X, formerly Twitter. "Another major insurance claim imminent ... adding to the likely US$420 million Viasat 3 claim," space data firm Seraadata tweeted. "It is going to be a losing year for the space insurance market."

Satellite maker Sidus Space acquired Exo-Space in what it said was a bid to tap into the AI sector and expand its offerings in the earth and space observation services market, Sidus said Tuesday. Exo-Space specializes in edge AI software and hardware for space applications.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit should reject bank BIU’s legal challenge of the FCC Enforcement Bureau’s dismissal of satellite company Spectrum Five’s complaint against Intelsat (see 2306280034) because BIU didn’t first appeal the bureau order to the full commission, said the FCC in a motion Monday. The Enforcement Bureau dismissed the complaint after Spectrum Five withdrew it, but BIU argued at the time that the bank had sole authority to withdraw the petition. The D.C. Circuit has jurisdiction over FCC final orders only, not the orders of subordinate bureaus, the agency said. After BIU told the FCC Spectrum Five didn’t have the authority to withdraw, the EB sent a letter of inquiry to Spectrum Five, but a response isn’t due until Aug. 25 (see 2308140041). “BIU has failed to exhaust administrative remedies. Thus, this Court lacks jurisdiction to consider the merits of the petition and should dismiss,” the FCC said.

Atlas Capital Partners provided $100 million in financing to direct-to-device satellite startup AST SpaceMobiile, Atlas said Tuesday. The financing is part of a $179 million package of cash and liquidity the company announced Monday. AST Chief Strategy Officer Scott Wisniewski said the financing is intended to fund the manufacturing and launch of additional BlueBird satellites beyond its first five commercial satellites, which are expected to launch in Q1 2024.

The ITU's existing equivalent power flux density limits haven't prevented non-geostationary orbit satellite operators from deploying new services or stifled innovation, and there's no reason to review the EPFD limits at the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference, SES Manager-Spectrum Management and Development Karl Jonsson blogged Friday. Instead, a WRC-27 review of EPFD limits would put existing geostationary services at risk of more interference, he said. "Upholding these limits ensures a stable, level playing field, supports continued innovation, and propels the satellite industry into an exciting future of growth and boundless possibilities," Jonsson said.

Spectrum Five Manager David Wilson and outside counsel have until Aug. 25 to respond to allegations by financier BIU that Wilson had no right to drop the company's complaint against Intelsat (see 2306280034), per a letter last week from the FCC Office of General Counsel (docket 20-399). Wilson didn't comment Monday.

Telesat has raised the money needed for its planned, 198-satellite Lightspeed low earth orbit satellite constellation, it said Friday. The company said financing is a combination of Telesat's own equity contribution, some vendor financing and funding commitments from its Canadian federal and provincial government partners. It said it signed a contract with MDA to produce the satellites, with satellite launches scheduled to start in mid-2026. Telesat said polar and global services should begin in late 2027.