SpaceX Seeks FCC Authorization for Starship Lunar Missions

SpaceX is asking for the FCC to authorize spectrum access that could support a variety of U.S. space program missions involving its Starship rocket, including lunar landings. In an FCC Space Bureau filing posted Thursday, SpaceX said the Starship missions will include a long-duration orbital flight test, a propellant transfer flight test in orbit, an uncrewed lunar landing test and refueling operations in orbit, and a pair of lunar landings that include refueling operations in Earth orbit. As part of its application, SpaceX asked for FCC OK to operate in some spectrum bands on a nonconforming basis, such as space-to-space communications in the Ku band between Starship and SpaceX’s Starlink satellite system, and lunar surface communications in the 5.8 GHz band for close-range communications during extravehicular activities.