The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) agreed fresh rules for the nation’s space sector to encourage greater participation by start-ups and new businesses.

Reforms were agreed to boost development of neutral-host ground infrastructure, an approach the Commission noted had been successful in the broader wireless industry.

It stated boosting the “nascent ground-station-as-a-service” model would aid smaller space companies by enabling “multiple satellite systems to share the same ground station”, removing “needless paperwork” and regulatory barriers, and commence services without building their own terrestrial receivers.

The FCC’s amendments mean ground station operators can be licensed without “first identifying a specific satellite” communication point.

Offering operators a simplified notification process when communication points are added “would eliminate approximately 49 per cent of earth station modification applications”.

Simplified application processes for space and earth stations were also passed, and the FCC broadened the list of licence modifications which will not require previous approval, a move it stated would particularly benefit the Geostationary Earth Orbit satellite sector.

FCC chair Brendan Carr said the space sector is “a key pillar” of moves to boost the US economy, with a value in excess of $600 billion.

A correct regulatory framework should see US companies “lead the world” in the field, he said.

Concurrently, the FCC detailed plans to overhaul processes for deploying high-speed infrastructure including 5G by reviewing its environmental protections with a view to simplifying planning permission processes.