Related Agencies

U.S. Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Licensing of Commercial Remote Sensing Satellite Systems

[Alternate Text for Related Agencies Page]
October 1, 2005

As previously described, NOAA Satellites and Information Services is the Commerce Department organization responsible for licensing the operations of commercial remote-sensing satellite systems. However, a commercial operator must also receive approval from other U.S. Government agencies for other aspects of their systems. Specifically, a commercial operator is required to obtain a launch license from the Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration if its satellite is to be launched from a U.S. territory. In addition, a commercial operator is required to obtain approval of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for its use of radio frequency spectrum.

If a commercial remote-sensing satellite operator wishes to export equipment or technology to support its system, that operator may also first require the appropriate export licenses from the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Export Administration (for items on the Commerce Control List) or the Department of State's Office of Defense Trade Controls (for items on the U.S. Munitions List).
Questions regarding imagery and data sales, which may be subject to general U.S. economic and trade sanctions should be referred to the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Additionally, in order to ensure widespread public access and use of remotely sensed data, licensees must make available unenhanced data requested by the National Satellite Land Remote Sensing Data Archive in the U.S. Department of Interior on reasonable cost terms. After a reasonable period of time, as agreed with the Licensee, the Archive may make these data available to the public at a price
equivalent to the cost of fulfilling user requests.

Questions about these matters should be addressed to these specific agencies. Hypertext Links to these organizations are listed below:

Bureau of Export Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

Office of Defense Trade Controls, U.S. Department of State

Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Department of Treasury

U.S. Federal Communications Commission

Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration

National Satellite Land Remote Sensing Data Archive, U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior

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1. What's New

2. The Advisory on Commercial Remote Sensing

3. NOAA Licensees