Foreword

Michael Calabrese and Kristian Stout, Working Group Co-Chairs

​​We are pleased to share this report on the challenges and opportunities facing the satellite industry and government regulators at a moment of rapid growth and technological transformation. Over the past decade, advances in technology have dramatically expanded the potential for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites to meet global connectivity needs. These systems now deliver far higher speeds and lower latency than previous satellite generations, enabling services that range from broadband internet service and remote backhaul, to sensing networks and enterprise IoT.

This progress has been extraordinary: In 2014, roughly 1,000 satellites were active in orbit; by 2024, that number had grown tenfold to 10,000. Filings with the International Telecommunication Union suggest this trend will accelerate, with plans for hundreds of thousands of additional satellites in the coming years. The scale of this growth makes it imperative for policymakers to grapple with the opportunities and challenges LEO systems present as part of the broader communications ecosystem.

This report reflects the efforts of many contributors who brought diverse expertise to bear on these issues. In the chapters that follow, we highlight three central themes that U.S. policymakers will need to address: fostering a sustainable competitive environment, enabling effective spectrum sharing and coexistence, and ensuring that LEO systems advance the goal of digital inclusion. Our aim is not only to frame the problems but also to provide practical recommendations that can inform policy decisions in this fast-moving field.

We are grateful to the colleagues and experts who contributed to this project, and to the readers who will carry these ideas forward into the policymaking process.