Overview

• Chairman Brendan Carr announced two proposals on Oct. 6 in El Segundo: a “licensing assembly line” that would presumptively expedite routine satellite and Earth station applications, and a rewrite of upper‑microwave (UMFUS) Earth‑station siting rules.
• The FCC says the changes aim to shift its default posture from no to yes on straightforward filings to speed growth in commercial space services.
• Carr cited progress already made this year, including cutting the Earth station application backlog in half since January and moving renewals to a 30‑day review.
• The initiative is framed as part of a Space Race 2.0, with Carr pointing to China’s expanding constellations as a key competitive driver.
• Details remain limited, the measures must go through FCC rulemaking and votes, and the agency did not say how a federal government shutdown could affect timing.