The ARRL says certain provisions of proposed FCC
rules to limit orbital debris from satellites would "seriously impair the
ability of amateur and university experimenters to launch and operate
satellites under U.S. auspices." According to the ARRL Letter, ARRL
comments to the FCC on its Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the debris
mitigation proceeding focused on two specific areas, indemnification and maneuverability / propulsion.
The League cited liability potential and high insurance costs to individual
licensees as well as prohibitions on certain public universities from entering
into indemnification arrangements. The League proposed exempting amateur and university
satellites from indemnification requirements or, if it insisted on mandating
it, to allow satellite owners as well as licensees to take responsibility.
On proposed propulsion rules – which would
require satellites in low-earth orbit to be able to maneuver once in orbit –
the ARRL proposed exempting small satellites that cannot accommodate propulsion
systems or fuel in the limited space available. Overall, it said the FCC should
not lump amateur and educational satellites in with large corporate satellite
operators.
