Ligado is fighting efforts by Iridium and aviation associations to file an amicus brief supporting dismissal of Ligado litigation against the U.S. government regarding the company's planned L-band use (see 2402120009). In a U.S. Court of Federal Claims opposition Friday (docket 1:23-cv-01797), Ligado said it would be improper for Iridium to participate as an amicus for the defense since Iridium "is not a friend of this Court [but] is a friend (and business partner) of a party -- the United States Government." Ligado said Iridium "is merely another arm of the United States Government in this matter, parroting the Government’s arguments with interests that are perfectly aligned." Ligado said Iridium's disputing of FCC findings and facts alleged in the complaint is irrelevant for now, as at the current stage of the litigation the court must accept as true the allegations in Ligado's complaint. Ligado said Iridium's advancement of legal arguments infringes on DOJ's "statutorily mandated exclusive authority and responsibility to litigate on behalf of the United States."

Supplemental coverage from space services could require "a very high degree of isolation" from the National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ), the National Radio Astronomy Observatory said Monday in docket 23-135. Before SCS service starts, it should provide technical analyses showing how it will achieve the isolation needed to protect radioastronomy operations in the NRQZ while also assessing its impact on instruments like the observatory's Very Large Array in New Mexico that don't get the formal protections of the NRQZ.

Umbra Lab is eyeing Q4 for launch of two earth exploration satellite service microsatellites into low earth orbit. In an FCC Space Bureau application Thursday, Umbra said the pair would have the same RF and orbital characteristics as the eight previously granted licenses. The eighth was launched in November, it said.

The FCC's denial of reconsideration of its 2020 orbital debris order is effective Thursday, said a notice for Thursday's Federal Register. The commissioners approved the orbital debris reconsideration order 5-0 in January (see 2401250064). The order rejected three petitions seeking reconsideration of the 2020 order but provided clarification and guidance on some issues the petitions raised.

R2 Space will pay an $8,000 civil penalty and implement a compliance plan to resolve an FCC Enforcement Bureau investigation into whether the company transferred a satellite license without prior authorization, a bureau consent decree said Wednesday. The bureau said the transfer came in connection with Meta Aerospace's acquisition of R2 and its conversion of the business to an LLC without prior FCC OK. It said sale of the satellite license to Iceye is pending the outcome of a bureau investigation.

Before getting a full license from the FCC, any proposed supplemental coverage from space (SCS) system should conduct a demonstration letting interested parties monitor for harmful interference, said Lynk. Meeting with FCC Space Bureau Chief Julie Kearney and Wireless Bureau Chief Joel Taubenblatt, Lynk also urged that SCS providers be allowed to apply for a Part 25 license before having a lease agreement with a mobile network operator, though it would have to show an executed business agreement before it could start service pursuant to that license. In a docket 23-65 posting Tuesday, Lynk said it also advocated that proposed geographical limits to SCS service be eliminated, as technology and business relationships can address interference concerns for SCS deployment.

Opening the 12 GHz band to a high-power, two-way fixed service would "eviscerate [the] carefully crafted spectrum sharing regime" between direct broadcast satellite and multichannel video distribution and data service, DirecTV said. In a docket 20-443 filing posted Tuesday, it recapped a meeting with FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel's office where it asserted advocates for the new terrestrial service haven't met the burden of showing it wouldn't harm incumbent DBS satellite subscribers and services. DirecTV reiterated its criticisms of a Dish Network-commissioned analysis by RKF Engineering (see 2312270045).

Iridium's maritime connectivity business is feeling competitive pressure from low-cost Starlink service, the company said Thursday as it announced Q4 financial results. Chief Financial Officer Tom Fitzpatrick said that SpaceX competition will likely drive average revenue per user down this year. However, Iridium should "get back to growth sometime in 2025" as the competition is primarily in the relatively few cases where Iridium is the primary connectivity service rather than a complementary one, he said. CEO Matt Desch said Iridium was invited to join the Mobile Satellite Services Association and is researching the direct-to-device service consortium unveiled this month (see 2402090013).

Ligado will oppose Iridium's request to intervene in its L-band litigation against the U.S., the company said in an email to us. Iridium and aviation interests filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims last week joining the U.S. in opposing the suit (see 2402120009). Ligado said Iridium is a competitor, and DOD -- also a defendant in Ligado's suit -- is one of its largest sources of revenue. "Iridium is using its proposed participation to support a primary customer, shield itself from discovery, and benefit from the government’s taking of our property," Ligado said. "Contrary to the amicus curiae parties’ assertions, the bipartisan FCC unanimously authorized Ligado to operate terrestrial 5G services within our licensed spectrum after a rigorous, multiyear process," it said. "That April 2020 decision is final."

Ligado's federal complaint about its planned L-band use is against the U.S., Commerce, DOD and NTIA (see 2402120009).