Astranis tells the FCC it could not reproduce SpaceX's numbers on two of its GSO reference links

FCC ECFS · SB Docket 25-157 · Letter · 2026-09-30
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Astranis says it could not reproduce SpaceX's results on two of its Ka-band GSO reference links. In a September 30 letter in FCC docket 25-157, the company answers ex parte filings from SpaceX and Amazon Leo, both alleging the two links fail Criterion 2 and Criterion 3. SpaceX's spreadsheet shows a baseline unavailability of 1.92% for both links; Astranis's original submission showed 0.146% and 0.152%. Amazon "reaches a similar flawed conclusion," Astranis writes, since Amazon's own spreadsheet shows 0.147% and 0.153% (availabilities of 99.853% and 99.847%), which Astranis says meet the 99.6% availability objective.

Astranis also points to the Commission's September 11 Public Notice updating the GSO reference links, which included all eight Astranis links, the two challenged ones among them, "raising no concerns regarding compliance." It asks the FCC to reject the challenges and keep both links. Docket 25-157 holds 166 filings from 60 distinct parties, including 73 comments and 25 ex parte filings.

"Since reading SpaceX’s ex parte letter, Astranis attempted to recreate the SpaceX results and could not."

— Kimberly M. Baum, Head of Regulatory, Astranis Space Technologies Corp., FCC docket 25-157

Sources: Astranis GSO Reference Links Ex Parte Letter → · Orbit Sentinel (docket 25-157)

Filed underDocket 25-157AstranisSpaceXAmazon LeoGSO Reference LinksFCC

Questions & answers

Which Astranis links are being challenged?
Two of Astranis's Ka-band GSO reference links. Ex parte filings from SpaceX and Amazon Leo allege they fail Criterion 2 (meeting the link's stated baseline availability) and Criterion 3 (a minimum baseline availability of 99%).
How far apart are the numbers?
SpaceX's spreadsheet shows a baseline unavailability of 1.92% for both links. Astranis's original submission showed 0.146% and 0.152%, and Amazon's own spreadsheet shows 0.147% and 0.153%.
What does Astranis want the FCC to do?
Reject the challenges and keep both links as valid GSO reference links. Astranis notes the September 11, 2026 Public Notice updating the reference links included all eight of its links, raising no concerns about the two in question.