FCC Names Acting Space Bureau Chief Ahead of Schwarz Departure
Jennifer Gilsenan To Lead Bureau Temporarily As Agency Touts Licensing Overhaul
Jay Schwarz will leave his post as chief of the Federal Communications Commission’s Space Bureau later this month, and Deputy Bureau Chief Jennifer Gilsenan will take over as acting chief during the transition, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Friday.
“When I first discussed this role with Jay, I told him I wanted us to process licenses and applications much faster and to update the FCC’s space rules for the 21st Century.”
Brendan Carr, FCC
Schwarz has overseen the Space Bureau, which handles licensing and policy for satellite and space-based communications, during a period the Commission has flagged for faster application processing and a broad rewrite of its space rules. The FCC voted July 22 to adopt a Report and Order restructuring its satellite and earth-station licensing rules, replacing the decades-old Part 25 framework with a new Part 100. The vote is on the public record as FCC 26-47, SB Docket No. 25-306.
In a statement, Carr credited Schwarz and the Space Bureau staff with cutting the agency’s licensing backlog by 43% in Schwarz’s first year in the role and by another 15% so far in 2026, according to the chairman. Those figures come from Carr’s statement; the FCC did not provide underlying licensing data in the release.
“When I first discussed this role with Jay, I told him I wanted us to process licenses and applications much faster and to update the FCC’s space rules for the 21st Century,” Carr said. “Right away, Jay dove into the weeds with the Space Bureau staff, and they made immediate progress.”
Carr called last month’s rulemaking a “once-in-a-generation overhaul” and described the pace of the changes as “historically unprecedented within the federal government,” a characterization that reflects the chairman’s own assessment rather than an independent measure.
“While Jay leaves big shoes to fill, I am confident that the team will continue to deliver great results as we march ahead,” Carr said. “I thank Jennifer for stepping up to the plate as Acting Chief and look forward to working with her more closely.”
The FCC’s release did not specify Schwarz’s exact departure date or his next role.