Part 25 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules Governing the Licensing of, and Spectrum Usage By, Commercial Earth Stations and Space Stations

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
Supporting statement OMB 3060-0678_Streamlining_FINAL (2026).docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2026-11-10	Available

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
30588	Part 25 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules: Governing the Licensing of, and Spectrum Usage By, Commercial Earth Stations and Space Stations	Instruction	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 3060-0678	ICR Reference No: 202611-3060-016
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202505-3060-038
Agency/Subagency: FCC	Agency Tracking No: Space Bureau
Title: Part 25 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules Governing the Licensing of, and Spectrum Usage By, Commercial Earth Stations and Space Stations
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 11/13/2026

table that charts list comparision

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	07/31/2028
Responses	4,223	3,591
Time Burden (Hours)	37,129	27,748
Cost Burden (Dollars)	7,159,040	4,154,267

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Abstract: On August 8, 2025, the Commission released a Second Report and Order, FCC 25-48, IB Docket Nos. 22-411 and 22-271, titled “Expediting Initial Processing of Satellite and Earth Station Applications; and Space Innovation.” In this Streamlining Second Report and Order, the Commission streamlines, simplifies, and modernizes the processing of space and earth station applications. Specifically, the Second Report and Order: (1) adopts a new process by which earth station operators may receive a baseline license without identifying a specific satellite point of communication, and adopts a procedure by which earth station applicants can easily add or remove identified points of communication; (2) expands the list of license modifications that do not require prior authorization; (3) eliminates the requirement to retain paper copies of applications; (4) changes the default ex parte status of all space station and earth station applications from “restricted” to “permit-but-disclose;” (5) adopts expanded timeframes to file license renewal applications for earth stations and replacement applications for non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) space stations; (6) provides non-U.S. licensed market access grantees the ability to receive the equivalent of a grant of special temporary authority; and (7) adopts a 30-day shot clock for earth station renewal applications. On May 1, 2026, the Commission released a Report and Order, FCC 26-26, SB Docket No. 25-157, titled “Modernizing Spectrum Sharing for Satellite Broadband.” In this Report and Order, the Commission that revised the spectrum sharing framework for Geostationary Orbit (GSO) and NGSO systems that currently relies on NGSO systems complying with Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) limits developed in the late-1990s. The consequence today of applying such EPFD limits in the United States is that operators must overprotect GSO systems, which in turn means that American households and businesses—most critically in rural and remote areas—do not receive the fastest space-based NGSO satellite broadband American innovation has available. Based on the technical record in this proceeding, the Order replaced the EPFD framework with modern, performance-based GSO protection criteria. The Order extended the Commission's framework for good-faith coordination and allowed NGSO and GSO operators to bargain for appropriate interference protections through voluntary, private agreement. The Order further adopted technical backstops to protect GSO systems when coordination has not been reached. Under the new rules, prior to commencing operations, an NGSO FSS applicant must either certify that it has completed a coordination agreement with any operational co-frequency GSO satellite network, or submit for Commission approval a compatibility showing which demonstrates by use of a degraded throughput methodology that it will not cause unacceptable interference to any such system with which coordination has not been completed. The requirement for NGSO licensees to submit a compatibility showing implicates the Paperwork Reduction Act.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 47 USC 154, 332, 301, 310, 319 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
   US Code: 47 USC 302, 303,307, 309, 721, 605 Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
3060-AM27	Final or interim final rulemaking	91 FR 26928	05/13/2026

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 57594	09/10/2026
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 72870	11/12/2026
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Part 25 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules: Governing the Licensing of, and Spectrum Usage By, Commercial Earth Stations and Space Stations

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	4,223	3,591	0	379	253	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	37,129	27,748	0	8,369	1,012	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	7,159,040	4,154,267	0	938,575	2,066,198	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The Commission is reporting program changes to this information collection. Specifically, information collections requiring applicants to maintain a physical hard copy of their electronically filed application, earth station operators to file a modification application for certain changes, NGSO space station operators to file a modification application for certain changes, and GSO satellites to file for special temporary authority for relocation during drift, are no longer being collected due to changes adopted in the Streamlining Second Report and Order. Therefore, the program changes/increases are as follows: 379 to the number of respondents, 379 to the annual number of responses, 8,369 to the annual burden hours and $938,575 to the annual cost. The Commission is reporting also adjustments to this information collection which are due to trends that Commission staff have been seeing in the past year since the industry is changing/growing so rapidly. These adjustments/increases are as follows: 253 to the number of respondents, 253 to the annual number of responses, 1,012 to the annual burden hours and $2,066,196 to the annual cost.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $2,617,158

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 11/13/2026

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