[mlyle]

> It wasn't a "radio license."

It's fundamentally a radio license:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/25.114

> when they did consider increased collision risk

Yup, they are supposed to evaluate orbital debris and collision risk, too, 47 CFR 25.114(d)(14). That, and equitable service (for some services) to Alaska/Hawaii are the only non-radio concerns they are permitted by regulation to consider.

[rrss]

> they are permitted by regulation

Where is the restriction to only those concerns? 47 CFR § 25.156 has some pretty vague language about "the public interest, convenience and necessity."

Thanks for pointing out that the FCC is required to evaluate orbital debris and collision risk, but I don't think the FCC is prohibited from considering other concerns (and i might be wrong on that).

[mlyle]

OK, OK, insert "explicitly" in front of "permitted by regulation."

The public comments relate to the adequacy of the application, which is required to address those points.

Yes, users of radio frequency spectrum do have public interest obligations. Thus far, for spacecraft this has been entirely confined to coverage requirements (aka, helping out Alaska when it's not infeasible).

It would be highly unusual-- and likely to be overturned in judicial review-- if the FCC were to decline to issue a radio license because of secondary impacts of the business. (Outside the specific areas where the FCC has been granted oversight-- environmental impacts of radio towers, space debris mitigation, safe operation of radio facilities, etc).