Final FCC Denies $885M Starlink Subsidy Request
The FCC explained that this first application was a high-level, short one, and that those qualifying for that would receive closer scrutiny.
(In fact the FCC had considered not even letting orbital communications companies apply, but decided to allow them to compete on their merits.)
This was in addition to “numerous financial and technical deficiencies” the agency identified in the proposal and the company’s operations.
It even leaned on the promise of SpaceX’s super-heavy launch vehicle Starship as evidence for these claims.
As the FCC points out, though:A the time of the Bureau’s decision, Starship had not yet been launched.