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It is a bit more complicated than that. The launch was done outside the US, by a foreign launch company. It is a bit weird to me that the US would have jurisd
by stale2002 8y ago
It is a bit more complicated than that. The launch was done outside the US, by a foreign launch company.
It is a bit weird to me that the US would have jurisdiction over what a foreign rocket company outside the US, launches into space
- madengr 8y agoIf they are using frequencies over the US, the FCC probably has jurisdiction.
- ska 8y agoThat doesn't seem to make sense, think about how many satellites would fall under many jurisdictions. Seems unworkable in practice. The company, though, is US and therefore falls under lots of US regulation potentially.
- mirashii 8y agoJust to not spread additional false information: No, the FCC does not have jurisdiction over foreign-launched satellites transmitting over the US. The FCC does have jurisdiction over groundstations physically in the US and the frequencies and power ranges they operate at.
- alphakappa 8y agoThe US has jurisdiction over the satellite company which is American. The company doing the actual launch is irrelevant. Even otherwise, just because you can find a loophole in the system doesn't make it right - these approvals exist for a good purpose - there's real danger from orbital debris, so it would make sense to be a good earth citizen and ensure that everything is kosher before you launch.
- stale2002 8y agoIt's only a loophole if you believe that the United States should have full legal jurisdiction over space. The real solution that they should have done in this scenario would have been for swarm to simply sell their technology to an entirely foreign conpany that the US has no legal recourse against. (Just like how I am sure that lots of foreign companies buy both parts and technology from US companies. Perhaps even entire satellites).
- nradov 8y agoUS federal law contains fairly strict limits on the transfer of that technology to foreign companies.
- function_seven 8y agoIt's not that the US should have full legal jurisdiction over space. It's that they're responsible for their own companies. This is by international agreement. If Swarm Tech preferred to operate under another country's rules, they can move their business to that country (like you suggest).
- mcbutterbunz 8y agoSwarm Technologies is a US company so they fall under US jurisdiction.
- samstave 8y agois this the same company? https://www.swarmtechnology.us/about/ https://www.swarmtechnology.us/about/
- ajross 8y ago> It is a bit weird to me that the US would have jurisdiction over what a foreign rocket company outside the US, launches into space Swarm Technologies is a US company. The FCC isn't regulating the launch, they're regulating the radio transmission. The company that launched the rocket did everything right, got paid, and isn't in trouble.
- r3bl 8y ago> The launch was done outside the US, by a foreign launch company. That doesn't matter if it's an American company launching the satellite. Third paragraph: > FCC [..] the U.S. government agency that regulates all satellite launches by American companies, whether they occur on U.S. soil or elsewhere.
- billfruit 8y agoIsn't that kind of an overeach from the FCC, if the company is complying with all necessary rules and regulations at the country of launch, why do the FCC care?
- mirashii 8y agoThe rules and regulations of a foreign country may not prevent you from operating powerful transmitters aimed at critical US Government or commercial satellites in GEO.
- s73v3r_ 8y agoBecause if that satellite hits a foreign satellite, and the company can't pay, then the US Government is liable.