Amid Elon Musk‘s Starlink achieving a significant milestone with its 7,000th satellite launch, Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel has called for increased competition in the space industry.
What Happened: Speaking at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Aerospace Summit, Rosenworcel emphasized the need for competition in the commercial space industry. She highlighted that Starlink now accounts for nearly two-thirds of all active satellites in orbit, reported The Register on Thursday.
“Every communications market that has competition is stronger – we see lower prices and more innovation, and honestly space should be no exception,” Rosenworcel said in a conversation with FedScoop’s Rebecca Heilweil.
She also mentioned that the FCC has initiated a transparency effort to assist companies interested in building their own satellite constellations. This initiative aims to help them understand the FCC’s regulations and approval processes.
Addressing concerns about space debris, Rosenworcel noted that new satellite operators must have a five-year deorbit plan. “If you bring it up, you have to have a plan to bring it down,” she said.
The FCC’s recent actions come after rejecting Starlink’s $885 million award from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, citing failure to meet speed requirements. Musk criticized the decision as “extremely unethical and politically partisan.”
Why It Matters: The call for increased competition comes at a time when Musk has been defending SpaceX against accusations of stifling competition. In May, Musk refuted claims that SpaceX was undercutting competitors with low pricing, emphasizing the company’s commitment to reusability and profitability.
On a broader scale, the European Union has also taken steps to counter Starlink’s dominance by announcing a multi-billion euro satellite system, IRIS², aimed at providing secure communications and reducing reliance on SpaceX.
Last week, SpaceX launched its 7,000th Starlink satellite into space, marking a major milestone for the company's satellite internet segment.
According to data from astronomer Jonathan McDowell, 6337 of the 7001 Starlink satellites launched are working currently, while 5770 of them are in operational orbit when SpaceX achieved its 7,000th Starlink satellite launch milestone.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote
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