--- title: "FCC Fines Startup for Launching Satellites Without Permission" description: "After investigating Swarm Technologies for months, the FCC finally settled with the space startup for launching unauthorized satellites in January." date: "2018-12-21" modified: "2018-12-21" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/fcc-fine-settlement-swarm-technologies-unauthorized" categories: - "FCC" - "Future Society" - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "fcc" - "satellites" - "swarm" --- # FCC Fines Startup for Launching Satellites Without Permission ![After investigating Swarm Technologies for months, the FCC finally settled with the space startup for launching unauthorized satellites in January.]() *\Image: Antrix\* ## Consequences It was only a matter of time until spacetech startup Swarm Technologies had to face the music. In December 2017, the company asked the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to launch its four small "SpaceBEE" satellites into space. It never got that authorization — but [launched]() them anyway on January 12, 2018 aboard the Indian rocket PSLV-C40. And now we know what happens when a space startup goes rogue. Yesterday, [Swarm was slapped]() with a substantial $900,000 fine as part of a settlement with the FCC for an "unauthorized satellite launch" according to [official filings](). The FCC was already hot on the company's heels. It had reportedly been investigating Swarm since [at least March](). The satellites launched to serve as a global communications gateway for "internet of things" applications. "By providing connectivity to people and devices in remote regions, Swarm makes data accessible to everyone, everywhere on earth," Swarm's [official website]() reads. ## Going Rogue Back in March, Quartz [suggested]() that Swarm's launch was "likely the first time a private organization has launched spacecraft without the explicit approval of any government." FCC commissioner Michael O'Reilly said the fine might not be enough to "deter future behavior," but that the hope was that enough "negative press coverage" would prevent others from doing the same according to an [official statement](). ## Regret The unauthorized launch was such a controversial move that even Swarm's CEO came to regret. In September, CEO Sara Spangelo said that launching the satellites anyway was "a mistake" in an [interview]() with The Atlantic. "I feel terrible for the confusion and the additional regulation that we may see come," she said. "It’s a very difficult situation, and we’ve done everything we can to resolve the issues to move forward positively." Regardless of the investigation and subsequent settlement, the four SpaceBEE satellites [are now in orbit](), oblivious to the drama they've caused back on Earth. **READ MORE:** [A space startup was just hit with a $900,000 fine for illegally launching four tiny satellites]() \[*MIT Technology Review*\] ***More on Swarm: [The FCC May Penalize Companies That Launch Tiny Rogue Satellites, After All]()*** ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()