Wire · regulatory
FCC overhauls orbital licensing with new Part 100 framework, what it means for Canadian operators
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Fusion42 · 23 July 2026 · Fusion42 review
The FCC replaced legacy Part 25 space licensing rules with a modernised Part 100 framework on 22 July 2026, cutting approval timelines and extending licence terms to 20 years for low-Earth orbit constellations and earth stations. Canadian satellite operators face new reciprocity checks and mandatory space situational awareness data-sharing to access the U.S. market, whilst domestic U.S. subsidiaries gain direct access to expedited licensing.
This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Space Tech.
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If you're a Canadian space company with U.S. ambitions, the fast lane just opened—but only for your U.S. subsidiary, and only if you feed the FCC real-time satellite tracking data. Domestic players like Telesat Government Solutions can now deploy ground stations at scale; you need to decide whether giving up that data is worth the speed.
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1 source · 23 Jul 2026
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