FCC NGSO Ka/V/Ku-band processing round

A distinct proceeding from the Upper C-band Report & Order; a Tier 2 structural signal for a future unlicensed-spectrum D2D land-grab adjacent to the existing 2 GHz MSS and C-band fights. Not yet a filed NPRM — too early to push.

Flagging for retro to correct the POSITIONING entry; the July 22 vote (T-2 days) is expected to formalize, not newly determine, this split. SpaceX's D2D carve-out remains rejected in the draft; no last-minute filing activity found in the mirror or via live search this cycle.

, additive to the existing 440-satellite Airbus OneWeb replenishment order (1,220km altitude, in design, potential optical inter-satellite links). Only surfaced to this desk this week via Space Intel Report (07-15, now date-confirmed) independently corroborated by DataCenterDynamics — clears the SIR demotion bar (confirmed pub date + independent corroborator) — but the underlying FCC filing itself is 10 days old at brief time, past the >7-day never-push threshold, so it is logged here rather than pushed. Zero prior desk mentions found (grepped briefs/ for "528" and "Eutelsat.*Next") — genuine desk gap, same pattern as the Project Bromo miss (retro 07-15). Recommend retro assess for a dossier/thread note under Satellite consolidation wave.

The July 7–~15 window is the last opportunity for ex parte filings before the Sunshine Rule kicks in ahead of the July 22 open meeting. SES's most recent ex parte was June 18 (est. $3.6B clearing cost). Monitor ECFS for any last-minute SES, SpaceX, or incumbent filings. The draft order (per New Street / TMF) awards SES 57.5% of first-100 MHz incentive + 100% of remaining 60 MHz; total incentive ~$6B. No <24h change — context only.

A Techtimes piece (published 2026-07-03) framed the FCC as having already "finalized" upper C-band auction rules and "blocked" SpaceX's D2D request. Verification against Light Reading, SpaceNews, Via Satellite, and Communications Daily shows this is a draft order/fact sheet released July 1, ahead of the already-known July 22 Open Meeting vote — no Commission action has occurred. Notably, the draft reportedly proposes clearing 160 MHz (not the previously floated 180 MHz) — if confirmed, that matches SES's own June 18 FCC ex parte ask (Nancy Eskenazi, SVP Global Legal & Regulatory) to cap the clearing size at 160 MHz to preserve transponder capacity, alongside SES's separately-disclosed ~$3.6B C-band transition/clearing cost estimate (SES + Intelsat). Some press coverage lumps SES in with SpaceX and "QQ Technology" (a corrupted reference to OQ Technology, a real Luxembourg NB-IoT/D2D operator) as having a D2D carve-out request declined in the draft — this claim is unconfirmed and likely a conflation; SES's own documented ask in this docket is about capping clearing size, not seeking D2D spectrum (SES's D2D exposure runs through its separate Lynk Global/Omnispace stake). Recommend retro (a) note the possible 160MHz-not-180MHz detail as a partial win for SES's position if independently confirmed at the July 22 vote, and (b) do not carry forward the "SES sought D2D carve-out" claim without a primary-source check.

FCC Chairman Carr's agenda blog (fcc.gov, published June 30, 2026 — outside the 20h window but the freshest FCC signal available) confirms the Commission will vote July 22 on (a) a new "Part 100" satellite/earth-station licensing process overhaul and (b) an Upper C-Band spectrum auction order covering 160 MHz of mid-band spectrum. SES is a major incumbent US C-band holder post-Intelsat consolidation — any auction design or licensing-process change is directly material to SES's core US revenue base. No existing THREAD TAXONOMY entry covers US domestic spectrum auctions/licensing (current taxonomy is EU 2 GHz MSS-focused for spectrum). Flagging as a doctrine gap: recommend retro evaluate whether "US C-band spectrum auction / FCC Part 100 licensing" merits a new POSITIONING thread ahead of the July 22 vote.