Photo: Logos Space Services

The FCC has approved Logos Space’s application for satellite spectrum to deploy a constellation of more than 4,000 satellites geared toward enterprise connectivity. The approval is a milestone for the constellation startup, led by former Google exec Milo Medin and Starlink and Amazon Kuiper alum Rama Akella. 

Logos is currently in a competitive process to choose a bus manufacturer and expects to select a partner later this year, Medin told Via Satellite. The company is also working on launch contracts, which will determine the launch schedule, Medin said. No demonstration satellites are planned.  

The FCC granted Logos a license to operate in the Ka- Q-, and V-bands and to deploy a 4,178-satellite LEO constellation. The FCC approval was posted on Feb. 4 and Logos announced the approval on Thursday. 

Logos has described its constellation as providing “multigigabit connectivity,” for an enterprise-focused constellation, resilient to jamming and electronic warfare. The company says its technology includes novel use of spectrum in nontraditional bands, narrow beams, and highly spread control system to deliver a private network. 

Medin explained the constellation is designed for resilient, secure service.

“Use of narrow beams and highly spread control signals enables us to withstand jamming and interference and continue to function. Our orbits and the ability to communicate straight up — even in equatorial areas — mean terrestrial jammers suffer significant attenuation at these frequencies at shallow angles when trying to interfere with our signals,” Medin told Via Satellite. “We have designed the system with resilience to jamming in mind, and that also allows us additional capabilities to avoid interference with others in the same and nearby spectrum.” 

“This isn’t just about spectrum, waveforms and antennas, but about network transport that operates below the level of IP traffic where we put RF energy. This means we can do more than just tolerate interference, but also avoid interfering with other systems,” he added.

Logos Space emerged from stealth in 2024. Medin is the former vice president of Wireless Services for Google. The company’s ice President of Engineering Rama Akella is a former co-leader of Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell initiative and systems director for Amazon’s Project Kuiper (now Amazon Leo). 

The company’s original application to the FCC was for 3,960 satellites; Logos amended its constellation plans. The system approved by the FCC will operate in seven orbital shells ranging from 870 km to 925 km. 

Logos was granted a waiver related to some Ka-band operations; Logos must operate in this band on an unprotected, non-interference basis. 

According to the FCC authorization, Logos entered into a binding technical compatibility agreement with Iridium in January for Logos’s planned operations in the 23.18-23.38 GHz band, which cleared the way for the Ka-band waiver. 

Logos is backed by US Innovative Technologies (USIT), the Thomas Tull investment firm. USIT invested $50 million into the company last year. 

“This latest milestone is a testament to the caliber and importance of the next-generation system Logos is building. Secure, resilient communications infrastructure is a foundational requirement for both global competitiveness and enterprise operations, and receiving this approval meaningfully advances Logos’ deployment roadmap,” Peter Tague, managing partner at USIT, said in a release.