Some ISAM Spectrum Needs Might Necessitate Allocation Changes: NTIA

Some in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing spectrum needs can be met in the near term with current spectrum allocations and through existing and planned commercial services, but other types of access might involve changes to U.S. and international spectrum allocations and radio service definitions, NTIA said in a filing posted Wednesday in docket 22-271. Different ISAM operations are going to have various spectrum needs, and those will need to be addressed as ISAM capabilities start to mature, it said. An easy option for now is that ISAM missions servicing fixed satellite service or mobile satellite service satellites can use the same spectrum used by the client satellite, it said. NTIA said that while the space research service spectrum allocation could support early demonstration programs, the earth exploration satellite service allocation definition doesn't fit ISAM operations.