Microwave Journal
www.microwavejournal.com/articles/27823-small-satellite-regulatory-cooperation-strengthened-in-the-americas

Small Satellite Regulatory Cooperation Strengthened in the Americas

February 6, 2017

The International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) SmallSat Symposium and Workshop has enabled satellite policy-makers, regulators, manufacturers, operators and academia to strengthen cooperation and partnerships among the small satellite projects and services community in the Americas region.

The Symposium was organized by ITU in cooperation with the University of Chile and with the support of Chile's sub-secretariat for Telecommunications (SUBTEL), and was opened by Rodrigo Ramirez, Sub-secretary of SUBTEL, and attended by 80 participants representing 22 countries, mostly from the Americas region.

The Symposium addressed the results of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) on the; "Regulatory aspects for nanosatellites and picosatellites, i.e., WRC-15 conclusion that no modifications were needed to the Radio Regulations for notifying satellite networks in order to facilitate the deployment and operation of nanosatellites and picosatellites and adoption of Resolution 659 (WRC‑15), requesting studies to accommodate requirements in the space operation service for non-geostationary satellites with short duration missions." It includes an invitation to ITU's Radiocommunication Sector to study the spectrum requirements for telemetry, tracking and command in the space operation service for the growing number of non-GSO satellites with short duration missions.

The symposium concluded with a one-day workshop for participants to familiarize themselves with the online tools necessary for searching and querying the ITU Space Master International Frequency Register (MIFR), the Space Networks List (SNL) and the Space Networks System (SNS), the use of ITU software for submission and validation of small satellite network filings to ITU and submission of comments on ITU publications in the BR International Frequency Information Circulars (Space Services) (BR IFIC), and rights and obligations in cases of harmful interference to satellite networks recorded in the MIFR.