Regulation and debris mitigation

Also known as Five-year rule, 25-year rule, Space debris, Frequency coordination, Licensing

Spectrum coordination, licensing and the end-of-life rules that decide where a small satellite may fly. The FCC five-year rule and the older 25-year guideline translate directly into altitude ceilings for spacecraft without propulsion.

Document
SQ-OP-003
Updated
20 Oct 2026
Reading time
5 min
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Two kinds of rules#

Two bodies of rules shape a small-satellite mission beyond its engineering. Spectrum rules decide which frequencies it may use and how it must coordinate them. Space-debris rules decide how long it may stay in orbit after its mission ends, and therefore where it may fly without propulsion.

Spectrum#

Radio spectrum is allocated internationally by the ITU Radio Regulations[1], and every satellite network is notified to the ITU through its national administration. Missions in the amateur-satellite service additionally coordinate their frequencies with the International Amateur Radio Union, whose satellite advisers check the proposed frequencies, modes and the amateur character of the mission[2]. The amateur service is restricted to non-commercial purposes: open, decodable telemetry and a service to radio amateurs are part of the bargain, and a reliable command that shuts the transmitter down is required.

Grizu-263A followed this path. Its frequencies were coordinated (serial 775) with the support of TAMSAT, and the team published all telemetry formats without encryption[3]. The additional spectrum for telemetry, tracking and command of short-duration missions agreed at WRC-19 offers an alternative for missions that are not amateur in character[3].

Licensing#

In the United States, any non-federal transmitter needs a licence from the Federal Communications Commission; experimental licences are common for university CubeSats[4]. Launch providers ask for the licence, the frequency coordination and the debris assessment before integration, so the paperwork has to start a year or more before launch[5].

References

  1. [1]International Telecommunication Union. (2020). Radio Regulations, Edition of 2020. ITU.
  2. [2]International Amateur Radio Union. (2026). Amateur satellite frequency coordination.iaru.org(accessed 20 October 2026)
  3. [3]nadir lab. (2026). PocketQube picosatellites: A review of standards, mission trends and miniaturization constraints, with lessons learned from Grizu-263A, Türkiye’s first PocketQube [Preprint]. nadir lab.Read on nadir lab.
  4. [4]NASA Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute. (2026). Communications. State-of-the-Art of Small Spacecraft Technology (2026 edition), Chapter 9. NASA Ames Research Center.nasa.gov(accessed 20 October 2026)
  5. [5]NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative. (2017). CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers. NASA.nasa.gov(accessed 20 October 2026)
  6. [6]Federal Communications Commission. (2022). Space innovation; Mitigation of orbital debris in the new space age, Second Report and Order (FCC 22-74). FCC.
  7. [7]Federal Communications Commission, Space Bureau. (2026). Frequently asked questions: orbital debris and the five-year rule.fcc.gov(accessed 20 October 2026)
  8. [8]International Organization for Standardization. (2023). ISO 24113:2023 Space systems — Space debris mitigation requirements. ISO.
  9. [9]NASA. (2021). NASA-STD-8719.14C: Process for Limiting Orbital Debris. NASA Office of Safety and Mission Assurance.standards.nasa.gov(accessed 20 October 2026)
  10. [10]Kahr, E., Montenbruck, O., & O’Keefe, K. (2013). Estimation and analysis of two-line elements for small satellites. Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 50, 433–439.doi:10.2514/1.A32352

Cite this SatWiki entry

@misc{nadirlab2026regulation,
  author       = {{nadir lab.}},
  title        = {{Regulation and debris mitigation}},
  year         = {2026},
  month        = oct,
  howpublished = {nadir lab. SatWiki SQ-OP-003 (Rev. 1)},
  url          = {https://nadirlab.space/en/wiki/regulation-debris/}
}