FCC Votes To Boost Manufacturing in Space (engadget.com) 17
The FCC may have just advanced the industrialization of space. Commissioners have voted in favor of an inquiry that will explore in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM). The move would both help officials understand the demands and risks of current in-space production technology while facilitating new projects. This could help companies build satellites and stations in orbit, for instance, while finding new ways to deal with growing volumes of space debris. From a report: The vote helps open a new "Space Innovation" docket at the FCC. It also comes two days after the regulator updated its rules to create more breathing room for satellite broadband frequencies. Expect considerably more space-related developments going forward, then. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel saw the inquiry as vital. Existing rules were made for "another era" where space programs were exclusively government-run, she said. The support ISAM will ideally help the FCC adapt to space tourism, huge private satellite constellations and a larger general shift toward commercial spaceflight.
Leisure Suit Larry to the Rescue (Score:2)
Clean that space up.
Is VSAM next? (Score:2)
FLAs are so ambiguous.
FCC (Score:2, Insightful)
Great that the FCC has to approve our making something in space. What about all the other agencies, FAA, FTC, FDA, FBI, ATF, etc.? We must require their blessings before allowing anyone to willy-nilly click together two LEGO blocks.
Why? (Score:4, Interesting)
is the FCC even involved in this decision? They are the Federal Communications Commission. They are responsible for the allocation of radio frequencies, which involve satellites, but why does the FCC have anything to do with approving Manufacturing in space. It isn't in their charter.
Re: (Score:2)
Communications to and from space (Score:2)
Their part is regulating communications to and from space.
That's not a huge part, but regulating that is the part that *is* the FCC's responsibility. So they should be looking at how their regulations need to change to allow for more civilian use of space.
Their rules do matter. For example, the amateur radio (ham) rules have long said you aren't allowed to use any form of encryption - unless you're controlling a satellite. that exception is important because you don't want randos taking over your satellite.
Re: (Score:1)
What do you think happens to any agency when they have a bunch of people? They start looking for easy shit to go after. Like this new bill to increase the size of the IRS so they can "go after the rich." Tell me, have you tried to go after the rich for anything? It is shit hard. The agents will take down a few tokens and then go after the easy soft targets .. waiters who didn't report all their tips, people like that.
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Space manufacturing: The hardest profit ever made? (Score:4, Insightful)
When you consider the energy costs of getting things into space and the equipment costs of running things in space and getting them back out of space, how much room is there for making anything profitably in space right now? So far the only things that have ever profitably been done in space are running telecoms and space photography satellites, making high-end fiber-optic cables, and selling ultra-high-end amusement park rides and curios to hyper-rich idiots. The only things that have been profitably manufactured in space are those cables - the curios were either not made in space or had no need to be made in space, they were really just turned into Veblen goods by having been INNN SPAAACE.
So I think those costs are going to make space manufacturing a very niche industry for the foreseeable future. I once did some calculations and found that if there were a watermelon-sized diamond sitting on the surface of Mars, it could not be profitable to retrieve it.
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You never know when the breakthru needed to make it viable may happen, so "better" already get it regulated (and taxed) by the government before someone decides to profit in a way that is somehow out of reach of their clutches.
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When you consider the energy costs of getting things into space and the equipment costs of running things in space and getting them back out of space, how much room is there for making anything profitably in space right now?
Not much. But anyone hoping to commercialize space at the earliest profitable opportunity, which should be everyone who can afford to do that, should be getting started now. SpaceX is on the brink of bringing launch costs down significantly... again.
I once did some calculations and found that if there were a watermelon-sized diamond sitting on the surface of Mars, it could not be profitable to retrieve it.
I imagine that's still true. But it's really more about the plethora of potentially valuable asteroids. We have already picked out a number of credible candidates [statista.com]. Sure, the estimated values for those asteroids given are bullshit since nobody can predict specifi
Huh..? (Score:1)
ISS Dud 2.0? (Score:1)
Isn't this what the ISS was supposed to explore? So far that aspect has been mostly a dud.
Advanced? (Score:2)
The FCC may have just advanced the industrialization of space.
Advanced? LOL, They just created another hoop companies will have to go through. Gov't committee's don't advance anything.
Cart before the horse (Score:2)
Manufacturing IN SPAAAAACE!
Never mind that at most you're talking about either software or very space conscious (as in volume) projects due to the logistical problems of mass manufacturing.