FCC approves Space Modernization Order and 160 MHz upper C-band auction

At its July 22 open meeting, the FCC approved the Space Modernization for the 21st Century Report and Order, replacing the traditional case-by-case satellite and earth station licensing process with a modular "licensing assembly line," bright-line criteria for public-interest approval, and a new requirement that operators share space situational awareness data. In the same meeting the FCC voted to auction 160 megahertz of upper C-band spectrum in July 2027, pushing incumbents such as SES and Eutelsat into the remaining 40 MHz of upper C-band or into Ku-band and creating a 440 MHz "super band" for 5G.

Defense primes rose in delayed US trading, with Lockheed up roughly 10% and RTX up more than 7%. L3Harris said it delivered the four RS-25 engines for the core stage of NASA's Space Launch System, keeping Artemis III on schedule for a 2027 launch and the first crewed lunar surface attempt of the program.

Underneath, the commercial layer kept moving. Iridium reported 5.8% subscriber growth and 4% revenue growth in the second quarter on the eve of its $8 billion enterprise-value sale to Rocket Lab at $54 per share, half cash and half Rocket Lab stock. Northrop Grumman's Mission Robotic Vehicle, carrying the DARPA and Naval Research Laboratory RSGS twin-arm payload, is climbing to geosynchronous orbit after its July 21 Falcon 9 launch to begin servicing satellites with mission-extension pods. NASA also confirmed it will install two Starlink mini laser terminals on the Orion spacecraft to relay 4K video from Artemis III.