The US Federal Communications Commission has opened more than 1,000MHz of spectrum for space-based services, following a unanimous vote on its satellite spectrum abundance order.

Chairman Brendan Carr and commissioners Nathan Simington and Anna Gomez approved the order on 30 September without dissent. The spectrum sits in the 12GHz and 42GHz bands, which the FCC says could support a range of connectivity services, including satellite broadband delivered direct to homes, in-flight and on-ship connectivity, and core traffic-routing functions within satellite terrestrial networks.

The decision forms part of a broader push by the agency to make spectrum available for non-terrestrial connectivity. Carr framed the move within that wider effort.

"We've been running our spectrum abundance playbook for pretty much everything in the sky," he stated. "We've taken multiple actions to free up spectrum for direct-to-device offerings, with much more of that to come in the next few months."

His comment signals that the 12GHz and 42GHz allocations will not be the last. The FCC is also considering opening a further 1,450MHz of spectrum in the Ku- and Ka-bands, plus 138.25GHz in the D-band, to expand satellite communications capacity.

What the bands enable

The 1,000MHz+ approved this week matters for several segments of the satellite industry. Home broadband delivered from low-earth-orbit constellations is the most commercially visible application, and operators in that market have long argued that additional spectrum is the main constraint on capacity growth. In-flight and maritime connectivity represent two further segments where bandwidth demand keeps rising and where licensed spectrum determines how much throughput a given constellation can offer.

The FCC also identified a more technical use case: core traffic-routing functions in satellite terrestrial networks. This points to integrated non-terrestrial network architectures, in which satellite links carry operator traffic rather than serving only as backhaul of last resort.

Regulatory context

The unanimous 3-0 vote gives the order a degree of political durability at a time when many FCC decisions split along party lines. Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, joined Carr and Simington, both Republicans, in supporting the measure.

The order advances the FCC's "spectrum abundance" agenda, an approach that treats spectrum scarcity as a policy choice rather than a physical constraint. Direct-to-device satellite service — in which standard smartphones connect to satellites without dedicated hardware — has been a particular focus, with US operators and their satellite partners already rolling out text messaging over space links.

A second track for space operations

Alongside the connectivity spectrum, the FCC has put forward a second proposal covering bands for emerging space operations. These would serve in-orbit servicing, refuelling and manufacturing, lunar missions, spacecraft control, and data transmission.

That proposal reflects the growth of the in-space economy beyond communications. Servicing and refuelling companies need dedicated spectrum to command spacecraft and transmit telemetry, and lunar missions require frequency assignments coordinated well in advance of launch.

What comes next

For satellite operators and their equipment vendors, the immediate question is how quickly licence applications in the newly opened bands can be processed, and how the FCC resolves any sharing arrangements with incumbent users. The Ku- and Ka-band and D-band proceedings, covering a combined 1,588.25MHz, remain open, and Carr has committed to "much more" direct-to-device spectrum action in the coming months.