🔎 TODAY’S DAILY SIFT: THE ORBIT The next space race is about something you cannot see. Spectrum. The FCC has approved a dedicated 15,000 satellite constellation for SpaceX, designed to expand direct connectivity between orbit and ordinary mobile devices. It also announced an October 29 vote on proposals that could open hundreds of additional megahertz of spectrum to satellite communications. The ambition is clear: connect smartphones directly to satellites and extend coverage beyond traditional cellular networks. But India is revealing the other side of this transformation. Starlink has spent years preparing to enter the market, yet commercial operations remain on hold pending spectrum allocation and security approvals. The technology exists. The infrastructure is largely ready. Regulatory permission remains unresolved. That distinction matters. For decades, telecommunications depended on towers, cables and national networks. Satellites are beginning to challenge that geogra...