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FCC fines Swarm Technologies $900K over unauthorized satellite launch
Back in March came the surprising news that a satellite communications company still more or less in stealth mode had launched several tiny craft into orbit — against the explicit instructions of the FCC. The company, Swarm Technologies, now faces a $900,000 penalty from the agency, as well as extra oversight of its continuing operations.
[...] Unfortunately, the units are so small — about a quarter the size of a standard cubesat, which is already quite tiny — that the FCC felt they would be too difficult to track, and did not approve the launch.
Swarm, perhaps thinking it better to ask forgiveness than file the paperwork for permission, launched anyway in January aboard India's PSLV-C40, which carried more than a dozen other passengers to space as well. (I asked Swarm and the launch provider, Spaceflight, at the time for comment but never heard back.) The FCC obviously didn't like this, and began an investigation shortly afterwards.
Slap on the wrist?
Previously: India Launches 31 Satellites, Puts Cartosat-2 Into Orbit
FCC Accuses Startup of Unauthorized Launch of Commercial Satellites
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Entropy on Friday December 21 2018, @08:59AM (3 children)
I have to wonder: How much more expensive would going through all the "proper" process that would be necessary to launch things in line with FCC guidelines be? Probably a bit more than 900k.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 21 2018, @01:18PM (2 children)
Kinda off topic but I knew someone that was the victim of mistaken identity. As a result he lost his house, wound up in jail, lost his drivers license, etc... Eventually he got his license back and got released from jail but he ended up having to continue working to get everything back, took him about a year (I guess to qualify for another mortgage?). When I asked him why he didn't sue for those damages he said that by the time he went through the court system and all and got the damages he would have been able to pay for everything just working. Sometimes it's easier to just suffer the consequences of someone else's mistakes than it is to try and go through our insanely expensive legal system to get damages.
The point is our legal system is expensive. Very expensive. Which is why companies often compare the cost of going through our legal system with the cost of doing something illegally and just paying the fine.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 21 2018, @03:51PM (1 child)
He got a job that paid above working poor level after having been in jail?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 22 2018, @06:39PM
He didn't commit any crimes. The guilty party had his exact same name with his exact same birth date. He even had his wages garnished but he eventually got his garnished wages back once the mistaken identity crises was solved. But that doesn't compensate for the fact that he was out of work while dealing with the problem.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Friday December 21 2018, @09:19AM (2 children)
the FCC felt they would be too difficult to track
I understand the FCC getting involved when unauthorized radio transmisions take place. But what the hell do they have to do with tracking satellites in orbit or granting launch permissions?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by aiwarrior on Friday December 21 2018, @10:46AM (1 child)
I think the bigger question is why is FCC fining something that was launched through another jurisdiction. Could it be that if they set up a shell company the US uncle will still be the world police?
Not that i disagree with FCC, space debris is a problem, but perhaps getting a world comittee a-la ICAO would end this jurisdiction problem as well as incompatibilities.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Friday December 21 2018, @01:41PM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 21 2018, @04:06PM (2 children)
They only exist to protect the transmissions of our murderous military.
(Score: 1, Troll) by crafoo on Friday December 21 2018, @04:31PM
The Sword isn't murderous. The "deep state" mind that wields it is.
(Score: 1) by SnorkleZ on Saturday December 22 2018, @05:41AM
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL34D7815E48A3F8C7 [youtube.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 21 2018, @04:09PM
As for forgiveness rather than permission.