Slashdot Mirror
FCC Fines Swarm $900,000 For Unauthorized Satellite Launch (reuters.com)
Swarm Technologies will pay a $900,000 fine for launching and operating four small experimental communications satellites that risked "satellite collisions" and threatened "critical commercial and government satellite operations," the FCC said on Thursday. "The California-based start-up founded by former Google and Apple engineers in 2016 also agreed to enhanced FCC oversight and a requirement of pre-launch notices to the FCC for three years," reports Reuters. From the report: Swarm launched the satellites in India last January after the FCC rejected its application to deploy and operate them, citing concerns about the company's tracking ability. It said Swarm had unlawfully transmitted signals between earth stations in the state of Georgia and the satellites for over a week. The investigation also found that Swarm performed unauthorized weather balloon-to-ground station tests and other unauthorized equipment tests prior to the satellites' launch. Swarm aims to provide low-cost space-based internet service and plans eventually to use a constellation of 100 satellites.
By the time the race of various companies to deploy swarms of satellites to provide internet is over, solar rays won't even be able to reach the Earth, much less warm it...
The globe will appear wholly a steel orb from above. Only that dude driving the Tesla Space Roadster will be able to get a tan.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I'm really wondering how this startup, hoping to deploy up to 100 satellites, is going to have the infrastructure or economy of scale to offer cheaper service than Iridium Next (with 75 satellites) or SpaceX's 12,000 Starlink satellites.
Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
No, but it *does* unambiguously have jurisdiction over the transmitters the company operated in Georgia.
Especially as they were launched from India
No wonder the FCC is up in arms. A new ISP that is independent from cables down here? That could cut into the profit margins of their masters!
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
America isn't much of a space power anymore. The rest of the world and the corporations it has surrendered its launch capacity to should tell Uncle Sam to just fuck off.
Russia, China and India are already eating America's lunch. No doubt Kim Jung Nukem will soon be putting up satellites whenever they like, and telling the US to take a long, hard suck on his Taepodong.
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
Well Fuck that... :(
[($)]
last time i checked, the fcc didn't own outer space
According to the consent decree any entity launching satellites wishing to serve a U.S. market must adhere to all commission rules. Swarm's satellites becomes subject to US jurisdiction the moment one of their satellites transmits or receives a signal to or from a US destination or source.
Also, as a US company, Swarm is automatically subject to US jurisdiction, and they must adhere to FCC rules and licensing requirements prior to operation of any radio equipment on a ground station or on a satellite in orbit.
"The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government created by statute to regulate interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable."
So they don't cover yelling to my neighbor but if I use a wire/cable or any kind of radio, they do? What if someone comes up with new technology that doesn't use wire, cable, satellite, or any known form of radio frequency? Yes, science fantasy, but a big fat what if? The new tech allows large data transfers (including voice of course) with total security. Yes, its Orson Scott Card fantasy but I find the idea intriguing.
Some folks would go bonkers I'm sure.
SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT
The fine isn't for putting satellites in orbit via India after permission from the U.S. was denied. And it's not for operating said satellites after their launch per se. Those factors probably contributed to the FCC being harsh with this company, but they're not the justification for the fine.
The fine is for transmitting on certain frequencies reserved for communications with satellites. Broadcasting on those frequencies requires a license from the FCC, which this company apparently didn't obtain. According to TFA, they've now obtained that license, and are operating the satellites again.
last time i checked, the fcc didn't own outer space
That's absolutely an issue. The more affordable and accessible rocket launches become, the easier it will be for companies to avoid US/Russia/EU regulation and launch from countries that have looser regulation. That could be an advantage when the major powers try to hold back some developments (asteroid mining?), but it can definitely lead to dangerous situations. Particularly in LEO. Maybe LEO does need some binding jurisdiction.
I guess you've never seen a satellite dish?
It actually matters where you point it.
Btw, I'm transmitting this message to Slashdot's server, with instructions to post it (htttp verb "POST").
Perhaps you were thinking of the word "broadcast"? Broadcast means to transmit over a wide area. Broadcast and transmit are different words because they have different meanings.
You can launch wherever you want. Just don't have a ground station in the US without a license to communicate with the satellite. If this was an Indian company with their ground stations in India then they would just need to play by India's rules.
I got news for you about transmissions... they arent "to" a specific place.
It doesn't matter. The US government has worldwide jurisdiction to regulate ALL the activities of any entity that either
(1) Is US-based, or (2) Operates in the United States --- operating in the US includes doing any business in the US, residing in the US, or having any substantial activity in the US even through a subsidiary, partnership, or outsourcing arrangement ----- transmitting signals while over US airspace or that can be received at a location in the United States --- and definitely includes all operations of any US-based ground station.
They do have jurisdiction over US based companies though. Moving your violations overseas is always a risky move.
This. It was a US company using a US ground station for a US market, that had its permission denied by US regulators so they moved their launch to another country for that particular phase.
You are correct that it is an absolute issue, That's why venture capital firms have offshore trusts designed to invest in these items... as long as the money does not show up on the USA books directly, they can not be accounted as illegally earned revenue ( and taxed at the highest rate ).
So to invest in a company that is doing a launch in India and is India based, I need to move the money offshore, the move it again to another investment entity and then to the company in India. Once the service is perfected, then they move everything to the Europe and the rest of the world.
if you see me, smile and say hello.
not that simple, your business entity can not be in the USA or some other countries. in reference to launching. each country has rules of the road. and in this case, they were told to fix up or go home, they found a loop hole, got caught and luckily just got a small fine.
justice department-FCC should have hammered them harder
if you see me, smile and say hello.
As big as India is, the world is larger than India.
Or you know, just "If you want to do business in the U.S., you must comply with U.S. laws and regulations."
You really think any other country would let them continue to operate without comment if they flagrantly violated their laws?
--- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
They have jurisdiction over ground stations located within their jurisdiction. So DON'T YOU DARE point a dish at a Canadian satellite and try to bypass US TV networks and broadband providers.
Have gnu, will travel.
Or you know, just "If you want to do business in the U.S., you must comply with U.S. laws and regulations."
ie. don't base your business in the US. Complying with US laws and regulations eats into profit margins. Why do you think all this outsourcing stuff happens in the first place?
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
Since you're all serious Mr Frowny Mc FrownFace, did you factor in:
1) Self replicating satellites that construct new satellites out of sun-beams and cosmic particles or bits of the moon.
2) What about satellites with unfolding panels that spread super wide, eh?
3) Absolutely no-where on your envelope did I see calculations involving volume of existing space junk filling gaps! For shame.
Between all those factors, my new estimates are that in fact there are TWO layers of satellites completely covering the earth.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
So your even your car size satellite will eventually end up as billion of particles after a few good high speed collisions.
The surface area of a cube 1m^3 is 6m^2. But if that is smashed into 10^9 mm sized cubes, the area becomes 6000m^2. Smash it into micron sized bits and you might well have an effect on global warming.
So no need to cut back on coal. Just launch lots of satellites. Makes about as much sense as any other argument in that space.
Have you ever read the story of yurtle the turtle? By Dr Suess. the decrees of the us about it's raining tight to rule, because it said so, always reminds me of that book. Yertle the Turtle king of all he sees took all his fellow Turtles and stood on all their backs claiming to own the sky until the turtle pile collasped on itself. Now all yurtle could see was muck and ruin.
If they had no ground stations, receivers/transmitters in the US, then the FCC likely would likely not have had a leg to stand on ---- Not that they would be outside of US legal jurisdiction, But because they'd be outside the regulatory authority delegated to the FCC.
The FCC's jurisdiction is the radio spectrum and radio stations, in a way the FCC has no authority to regulate "space". The FCC themselves rely on the "loophole" in that they have the regulatory power over radio stations that operate in the US --- including on ground, ship, airplane, or satellite.
Its just that practically ALL satellites need to be remotely controllable, and they require radio communications for that --- so a satellite without a radio is fairly useless, and the FCC deems for itself the authority to regulate EVERYTHING about a satellite, just because the satellite happens to have a radio on board.
A car analogy would be like.... the FCC starts making rules about how fast you can design your vehicle to go, because your vehicle has a radio built into it, and the FCC has regulatory power over radios, and therefore, in their view, they can regulate the design, deployment, and use, of any gadget as part of the licensing requirements of the radio which is built into that gadget.
Over time the FCC deemed for themselves the authority to regulate more than just the frequency usage and the operation of transmitters --- but safety aspects as well, such as required safety hardware, signage, markings and lighting on towers. .... But since all satellites basically need a radio, the FCC just deems satellites as flying transmitters.
However, even if you are a US citizen and have to follow US laws.... you're still subject to US legal jurisdiction, but when you're outside the US: the FCC's regulations on radios and radio spectrum specifically don't apply to your radio transmissions ---- your FCC licenses aren't even valid (unless through treaty); every country regulates their own spectrum --- usually in cooperation with the ITU -- But in particular, the treaties are such that the FCC cannot apply their regulations.
No... They will continue to thrive in freedom, while we become more and more slaves. American freedom has become an oxymoron. All the checks our system to keep the balance have been compromised. Europe will surpass the United States collapse under its own weight because they keep it small and managable