Satellite firm SpaceX has submitted a petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), citing fears of interference from an upcoming ViaSat satellite.
– Viasat
Elon Musk's space company is seeking either a blockage or strict operational restrictions on Viasat’s ViaSat-3 F2 satellite, poised to enter service in September, claiming the F2’s radio frequency allocation and orbital configuration could create electromagnetic interference with SpaceX's Starlink constellation.
"Viasat continues to operate in the NGSO Ka-bands without making any meaningful attempt to coordinate," wrote SpaceX VP of satellite policy David Goldman in the 25-page petition, claiming Viasat’s own analysis, submitted to attest the F2 could coexist with Starlink, revealed the F2 was capable of causing interference approximately one-third of the time when using the 18.8 to 19.3 GHz and 28.6 to 29.1 GHz bands for downlinking. "Despite SpaceX's good faith efforts, Viasat has failed, and even refused, to coordinate with SpaceX for years. … Viasat's utter disregard for commission rules, its license conditions, and the harm it is causing to millions of American consumers has gone on for far too long.”
The F2 satellite is currently not under regulatory debate, being cleared for the US market by the FCC in late July, though on the condition that Viasat reach an agreement with the LEO players alleging radio interference while using the same spectrum bands as Viasat. The FCC’s grant specifies that Viasat “must refrain from commencing, or otherwise cease, operations in the United States in the 18.8-19.3 GHz and 28.6-29.1 GHz frequency bands pursuant to this grant of market access until compliance is notified."
