FCC Space Bureau Accepts AST License Modification Application
Accepting Comments on the Decision Through August 5
The Space Bureau has accepted in part for filing an application filed by AST-Science, LLC (AST), known as AST SpaceMobile.
AST requests modification of its license for five satellites, and seeks authority to operate a constellation of a total of two hundred forty-eight low-earth orbit non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellites.
Specifically, AST requests to operate an additional 243 satellites, with 23 satellites deployed at an altitude of 520 km (323 miles) with an inclination of 53 degrees, 192 satellites deployed at an altitude of 690 km with an inclination of 53 degrees, and 28 satellites deployed at an altitude of 685 km (≈430 miles) with an inclination of 98.1318 degrees.
For the full requested 248-satellite constellation, in addition to the 37.5-42 GHz (space-to-Earth), 47.2-50.2 GHz (Earth-to-space), and 50.4-51.4 GHz (Earth-to-space) bands and the 430- 440 MHz (space-to-Earth and Earth-to-space), 2025-2110 MHz (Earth-to-space), and 2200-2290 MHz (space-to-Earth) bands that are currently specified in AST’s license, AST seeks to perform feeder link and telemetry, tracking, and telecommand (TT&C) operations in the 45.5-47 GHz (Earth-to-space) band. AST also seeks authority to provide supplemental coverage from space (SCS) using the following frequency bands: 698-716 MHz (Earth-to-space), 728-746 MHz (space-to-Earth), 824-849 MHz (Earth-to-space), and 869-894 MHz (space-to-Earth). AST further seeks authority to use the following bands for mobile-satellite service (MSS) operations: 617-652 MHz, 728-821 MHz, 852-894 MHz, and 902-960 pace-to-Earth); and 663-748 MHz, 777-798 MHz, 807-862 MHz, and 880-915 MHz (Earth-to-space).
The FCC Space Bureau has accepted the application for filing for TT&C in the 430-440 MHz (space-to-Earth and Earth-to-space), 2025-2110 MHz (Earth-to-space), and 2200-2290 MHz (space-to-Earth) bands and the 45.5-47 GHz (Earth-to-space) band. The Space Bureau does not at this time accept for filing AST's request for operations other than TT&C.
Interested parties may file comments on or before July 21, 2025, and reply comments on or before August 5, 2025.