FCC Abolishes 30-Year Spectrum Cap, Clears SpaceX $17B D2D Network
FCC approved SpaceX's $17B EchoStar spectrum buy and replaced decades-old EPFD limits with performance rules, enabling commercial smartphone-to-satellite messaging by late 2026.
SpaceX Launches ViaSat-3 F3, Completing Terabit Constellation
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy delivered ViaSat-3 F3 to geosynchronous transfer orbit on April 29, finishing a three-satellite terabit-class constellation redesigned after a 2023 antenna failure. The launch proves GEO broadband can still compete against Starlink.
Viasat-3 F3 launches April 27: constellation complete, recovery uncertain
Viasat confirmed April 27 Falcon Heavy launch of ViaSat-3 F3 from Cape Canaveral, completing its three-satellite GEO constellation with >1 Tbps capacity over Asia-Pacific—but the company's financial and technical recovery depends on flawless execution of in-orbit testing by late summer.