Ligado's federal complaint about its planned L-band use "rests in critical parts on a skewed, misleading narrative," satellite and aviation interests told the U.S. Court of Federal Claims Friday in an amicus brief (docket 1:23-cv-1797) backing the government's motion to dismiss Ligado's suit against the U.S., DOD, Commerce and NTIA (see 2401260003). Iridium, Aireon, the Air Line Pilots Association, Airlines for America and the International Air Transport Association said that their concerns about interference from Ligado's plans for a terrestrial L-band network "should inform the Court’s consideration." The concerns about "harmful interference arising from Ligado’s planned terrestrial operations are real and ongoing, not pretextual or resolved," they said. The brief said the U.S. argument that Ligado doesn't have a property interest in its L-band license, and thus the Constitution's takings clause isn't implicated, "is underscored by the fact that Ligado’s license remains subject to substantial contingencies," including ones stemming from multiple reconsideration petitions before the FCC and from the possibility of judicial review if the agency denies the petitions.

EchoStar's restructuring and refinancing efforts since the company's acquisition of Dish Network show that it's either "willing to ride roughshod over the interests of its creditors" or facing imminent bankruptcy, MoffettNathanson's Craig Moffett wrote Monday. Having last month dropped a debt swap offering for Dish senior notes (see 2401300003), EchoStar said Monday it was also terminating a swap offering for Dish convertible notes due in 2025 and 2026. New EchoStar "now appears to have exercised all available avenues to raise additional debt under existing covenants," Moffett said.

The in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing NPRM on the FCC's February agenda (see 2401250068) gives the agency far too broad authority, SpaceX said Monday in docket 22-271. Recapping meetings held with all five commissioners' offices and the FCC Space Bureau, SpaceX said the draft NPRM provides no limiting principle for agency authority over orbital debris mitigation or the cost, reliability and safety of ISAM craft. The draft also proposes assessing planetary protection plans of all spacecraft, including non-ISAM vehicles, it said. "Such broad interpretations of the Commission’s statutory authority ... would needlessly test the bounds of the Commission’s jurisdiction," it said.

Viasat, Terrestar, Ligado, Omnispace and Al Yah Satellite Communications have formed the Mobile Satellite Services Association, focused on supplemental coverage from space and the direct-to-device ecosystem. MSSA said it wants "to develop a global ecosystem utilizing over 100 MHz of L- and S-band spectrum already allocated and licensed for mobile satellite services," saying that spectrum is well-suited for integration into mobile devices. The new group said it plans to align with 3rd Generation Partnership Project standards for extending terrestrial mobile coverage for both mobile network operator and over-the-top services.

With the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference finished, Viasat told the FCC in docket 22-273 Friday that it has no objection to further FCC action on possible non-geostationary orbit operations in the 17 GHz band. The company had urged the commission to avoid acting on the band prior to WRC-23, as the ITU was evaluating the feasibility of NGSO fixed satellite service in the 17.3-17.7 GHz band segment in ITU Region 2 (see 2301250024).

The FCC should urgently clarify the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference's intention about updating rules for equivalent power flux density limits, SpaceX said Friday in docket 16-185. That clarification would eliminate delaying updates "critical to connecting more people as soon as possible," it said. In addition, it said SES/O3b is mischaracterizing the text of the WRC-23 minutes in saying the ITU conference decided no regulatory action on EPFD limits can occur at WRC-27 (see 2401300032). Administrations clearly have the ability at WRC-27 of supporting EPFD rule changes after receiving ITU Radiocommunication Sector results of studying possible EPFD limit changes, it said.

Finnish hyperspectral satellite operator and analytics company Kuva Space is expanding, establishing its Kuva Space US subsidiary in Fairfax, Virginia, it said Wednesday. Its aim is broadening its market reach into U.S. commercial customers and the U.S. government.

Viasat's ViaSat-3 Flight 1 satellite is being configured for operations, and should begin providing commercial in-flight connectivity service in Q1 2025, CEO Mark Dankberg said Tuesday as the company announced Q3 2024 results. He said the company is adjusting the Flight 2 antenna to avoid the malfunction that struck Flight 1 (see 2307130003), with Flight 2 to be launched in the first half of next year. Flight-3 is set for launch late this year, he said. Dankberg said the Airbus-built Inmarsat 7, 8 and 9 satellites are expected to be finished early in 2026.

PlanetiQ hopes to launch GNOMES-5 by June, it said in an FCC Space Bureau application Monday seeking authorization to launch and operate the non-geostationary orbit satellite. The company said the S- and X-band GNOMES-5 is part of a larger plan for a constellation for weather forecasting, with its GNOMES-4 satellite currently orbiting and generating data.

Loft Orbital hopes to have its YAM-7 microsatellite launched as soon as June, it said in an FCC Space Bureau application posted Monday. It asked the bureau for permission to launch and operate the satellite in low earth orbit, with the satellite carrying a payload for customer Hydrosat intended to provide earth exploration satellite services. Its YAM-6 is scheduled to launch March 1, it said.