Satellite Industry Assocation Statement Regarding FCC Chairman Pai Announcement

Washington, D.C., December 2, 2020 – The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) today released the following statement in response to the announcement that Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai intends to leave the FCC on January 20, 2021.

“SIA would like to thank Chairman Ajit Pai for his long-time public service and specifically for his leadership as both Chairman and Commissioner of the FCC,” said Tom Stroup, President of the Satellite Industry Association. “Chairman Pai frequently demonstrated his recognition of the tremendous and wide-ranging benefits being delivered today by the commercial satellite industry and the promise of new and proposed satellite constellations, even having the Commission declare October 2018 as space month.  Throughout his tenure, the Chairman introduced several regulatory reforms benefitting everything from the launch industry to space-based remote sensing, telecommunications and, of course, satellite broadband connectivity and the role it will play in bridging the digital divide.  Several of those reforms have been tremendously helpful in streamlining today’s regulatory environment, thereby fostering continued satellite industry innovation and U.S. commercial space industry leadership.”

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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: Amazon; AT&T Services, Inc.; The Boeing Company; EchoStar Corporation; Intelsat S.A.; Iridium Communications Inc.; Kratos Defense & Security Solutions; Ligado Networks; Lockheed Martin Corporation; ; SES Americom, Inc.; Space Exploration Technologies Corp.; Spire Global Inc.; and Viasat Inc. SIA Associate Members include: ABS US Corp.;  ; Amazon Web Services; Analytical Graphics, Inc.; Artel, LLC; Astranis Space Technologies Corp.; Blue Origin; Eutelsat America Corp.; ExoAnalytic Solutions; HawkEye 360; Hughes; Inmarsat, Inc.; Kymeta Corporation; Leonardo DRS; Lynk; Omnispace; Satellites; Panasonic Avionics Corporation; Peraton; Planet; Telesat Canada; ULA; and XTAR, LLC. SIA Affiliate Members include: The Aerospace Corporation; Akash Systems Inc.; AQYR Technologies; COMSAT; Envistacom, LLC; Integrasys LLC, Kaman Precision Products; Kencast; Keysight Technologies, Inc.; Media Broadcast Satellite; NB+C; ; Plexus Corp; Radeus Labs, Inc.; Sheppard Mullin; Skylo Technologies; and Wiley