Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission
| Published date | 31 March 2021 |
| Citation | 86 FR 16722 |
| Record Number | 2021-06548 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Federal Communications Commission |
Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 60 (Wednesday, March 31, 2021)
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 31, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16722-16723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06548]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[OMB 3060-1013; FRS 18114]
Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal
Communications Commission
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens,
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the
general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to
comment on the following information collections. Comments are
requested concerning: Whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected;
ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the
information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer
than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) control number. No person shall be subject to any
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject
to the PRA that does not display a valid OMB control number.
DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before June 1,
2021. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments but find
it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice,
you should advise the contact listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email to
[email protected] and to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 3060-1013.
Title: Mitigation of Orbital Debris.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Revision of an existing collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, not-for-profit
institutions.
Number of Respondents: 46 respondents; 46 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours.
Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47
U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 301, 303, 307, 308, 309, and 310.
Total Annual Burden: 368 hours.
Annual Cost Burden: $88,550.
Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need
for confidentiality with this collection of information.
Needs and Uses: On April 24, 2020, the Commission released a Report
and Order, FCC 20-54, IB Docket No. 18-313, titled ``Mitigation of
Orbital Debris in the New Space Age'' (Orbital Debris Report and
Order). In this Orbital Debris Report and Order, the Commission updated
its rules related to orbital debris mitigation, including application
requirements. The new rules are designed to ensure that the
Commission's actions concerning radio communications, including
licensing U.S. spacecraft and granting access to the U.S. market for
non-U.S. spacecraft, mitigate the growth of orbital debris, while at
the same time not creating undue regulatory obstacles to new satellite
ventures. The action will help to ensure that Commission decisions are
consistent with the public interest in space remaining viable for
future satellites and systems and the many services that those systems
provide to the public. The rule revisions also provide additional
detail to applicants on what information is expected under the
Commission's rules, which can help to increase certainty in the
application filing process. While this information collection
represents an overall increase in the burden hours, the information
collection serves the public interest by ensuring that the Commission
and public have necessary information about satellite applicants' plans
for mitigation of orbital debris.
Specifically, FCC 20-54 contains the new or modified information
collection requirements listed below, applicable to applicants seeking
experimental licenses for satellite operations under part 5 of the
Commission's rules, as well as to license grantees under part 97
submitting notifications to the Commission prior to launch of a
satellite amateur station:
(1) Existing disclosure requirements have been revised to include
specific metrics in several areas, including: Probability that the
space stations will become a source of debris by collision with small
debris and meteoroids that would cause loss of control and prevent
disposal; probability of collision between any non-geostationary orbit
(NGSO) space station and other large objects; and casualty risk
associated with any individual spacecraft that will be disposed by
atmospheric re-entry.
(2) Where relevant, the disclosures must include the following: Use
of separate deployment devices, distinct from the space station launch
vehicle, that may become a source of orbital debris; potential release
of liquids that will persist in droplet form; and any planned proximity
operations and debris generation that will or may result from the
proposed operations, including any planned release of debris, the risk
of accidental explosions, the risk of accidental collision, and
measures taken to mitigate those risks.
(3) The existing disclosure requirement to analyze potential
collision risk associated with space station(s) orbits has been
modified to specify that the disclosure identify characteristics of the
space station(s)' orbits that may present a collision risk, including
any planned and/or operational space stations in those orbits, and
indicate what steps, if any, have been taken to coordinate with the
other spacecraft or system, or what other measures the operator plans
to use to avoid collision.
(4) For NGSO space stations that will transit through the orbits
used by any inhabitable spacecraft, including the International Space
Station, the disclosure must include the design and operational
strategies, if any, that will be used to minimize the risk of collision
and avoid posing any operational constraints to the inhabitable
spacecraft.
(5) The disclosure must include a certification that upon receipt
of a space situational awareness conjunction warning, the operator will
review and
[[Page 16723]]
take all possible steps to assess the collision risk, and will mitigate
the collision risk if necessary. As appropriate, steps to assess and
mitigate the collision risk should include, but are not limited to:
Contacting the operator of any active spacecraft involved in such a
warning; sharing ephemeris data and other appropriate operational
information with any such operator; and modifying space station
attitude and/or operations.
(6) For NGSO space stations the disclosure must describe the extent
of satellite maneuverability.
(7) The disclosure must address trackability of the space
station(s). For NGSO space stations the disclosure must also include:
(a) How the operator plans to identify the space station(s) following
deployment and whether the space station tracking will be active or
passive; (b) whether, prior to deployment the space station(s) will be
registered with the 18th Space Control Squadron or successor entity;
and (c) the extent to which the space station operator plans to share
information regarding initial deployment, ephemeris, and/or planned
maneuvers with the 18th Space Control Squadron or successor entity,
other entities that engage in space situational awareness or space
traffic management functions, and/or other operators.
(8) For NGSO space stations, additional disclosures must be
provided regarding spacecraft disposal, including, for some space
stations, a demonstration that the probability of success of the chosen
disposal method is 0.9 or greater for any individual space station, and
for multi-satellite systems, a demonstration including additional
information regarding efforts to achieve a higher probability of
success.
These information collection requirements are contained in 47 CFR
5.64 and 47 CFR 97.207.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-06548 Filed 3-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
