SIA APPLAUDS THE FCC FOR ITS RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SATELLITES AND THE SPACE INDUSTRY

Washington, D.C., October 25, 2018 – The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today applauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Chairman Ajit Pai for recognizing the historic achievements of the satellite industry, the tremendous benefits satellites deliver to millions of Americans each and every day and the importance of maintaining America’s leadership role in space.

Yesterday in a FCC blog posting, Chairman Pai noted, “In July 1962, the U.S. launched into space Telstar, the first active communications satellite. This enabled the first live, trans-Atlantic television broadcast. To put the importance of satellites into perspective, then-FCC Chairman Newton Minow famously told President Kennedy, “Communications satellites are more important than sending a man into space because they will launch ideas, and ideas will last longer than men and women.”

The Chairman went on to add, “To this day, satellites continue to deliver tremendous benefits for the American people.  So in November, during what we’ve dubbed Space Month, the FCC will take up nine items to ensure that America leads in the New Space Age, with an emphasis on cutting through the red tape.”

“SIA applauds the Chairman and the FCC for recognizing the vital importance of the satellite industry and for addressing a number of space-related items during the November monthly meeting,” said Tom Stroup, President of the Satellite Industry Association.

“As the Chairman noted, satellites have provided Americans with critical services for more than five decades.  Thanks to significant advances in a number of satellite technologies, the industry is on the verge of entering into a New Space Age and SIA greatly appreciates the FCC’s initiatives designed to help ensure America’s continued leadership in space.”

A copy of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s “Space Month at the FCC” blog post can be found at the following link:  https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/blog/2018/10/24/space-month-fcc

About The Satellite Industry Association

SIA is a U.S.-based trade association providing representation of the leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers. For more than two decades, SIA has advocated on behalf of the U.S. satellite industry on policy, regulatory, and legislative issues affecting the satellite business. For more information, visit www.sia.org.

SIA Executive Members include: AT&T Services, Inc.; The Boeing Company; EchoStar Corporation; Intelsat S.A.; Iridium Communications Inc.; Kratos Defense & Security Solutions; Ligado Networks; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Maxar Technologies; Northrop Grumman Corporation; ; SES Americom, Inc.; Space Exploration Technologies Corp.; Spire Global Inc.; and Viasat, Inc.

SIA Associate Members include: ABS US Corp.;  Analytical Graphics, Inc.; Artel, LLC; Blue Origin; DataPath Inc.; Eutelsat America Corp.; ExoAnalytic Solutions; Globecomm; Glowlink Communications Technology, Inc.; HawkEye 360; Hughes; Inmarsat, Inc.; Kymeta Corporation; L3 Technologies; O3b Limited; Panasonic Avionics Corporation; Planet; Telesat Canada; TrustComm, Inc.; Ultisat, Inc.; and XTAR, LLC.

SIA Affiliate Members include: The Aerospace Corporation; COMSAT; ; RUAG Space; and Wiley Rein LLP