[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