{"id":"F2025L00259","name":"Radiocommunications (Australian Space Objects) Determination 2025","slug":"radiocommunications-australian-space-objects-determination-2025","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":106072,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2025L00259-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name","content":"#### 1 Name\n\n  This is the Radiocommunications (Australian Space Objects) Determination 2025.","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Commencement","content":"#### 2 Commencement\n\n  This instrument commences at the start of the day after the day it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.\n\n> Note: The Federal Register of Legislation is available, free of charge, at www.legislation.gov.au.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Authority","content":"#### 3 Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under section 5 of the Act.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Repeal","content":"#### 4 Repeal\n\n  The Radiocommunications (Australian Space Objects) Determination 2014 (F2014L01586) is repealed.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"Interpretation","content":"#### 5 Interpretation\n\n  In this instrument, unless the contrary intention appears:\n  class licence means the Radiocommunications (Communication with Space Object) Class Licence 2025, as in force from time to time.\n  Commonwealth entity has the same meaning as in the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.\n\n> Note 1: For references to Commonwealth Acts, see section 10 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901; and see also subsection 13(1) of the Legislation Act 2003 for the application of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 to legislative instruments.\n\n> Note 2: A number of other expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Act, including the following:\n\n    (a) Australia;\n    (b) radio emission;\n    (c) space object.\n\n> Note 3: Other expressions used in this instrument may be defined in a determination made under subsection 64(1) of the Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005, that applies to this instrument, including the following:\n\n    (a) Act;\n    (b) space station;\n    (c) station.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"Australian space objects","content":"#### 6 Australian space objects\n\nEach space object:\n\n(a) that is owned, controlled or operated by or for a Commonwealth entity or a corporation mentioned in column 2 of an item in Schedule 1; and\n\n(b) for which a space station on the space object is operating in a frequency range mentioned in paragraph 8(a) or (b) of the class licence to transmit radio emissions to, or receive radio emissions from, a station inside Australia;\n\nis determined to be an Australian space object for the purposes of the Act.","sortOrder":5},{"sectionNumber":"Schedule 1 Owners, controllers or operat","sectionType":"section","heading":"Schedule 1 Owners, controllers or operators of Australian space objects operating in a frequency range mentioned in the class licence","content":"#### Schedule 1 Owners, controllers or operators of Australian space objects operating in a frequency range mentioned in the class licence\n\n(paragraph 6 (a))\n\n| Item | Commonwealth entity or corporation owning, controlling or operating Australian space object |\n| ---- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| 1    | AsiaSpace Pty Limited (ACN 068 078 731)                                                     |\n| 2    | Department of Defence                                                                       |\n| 3    | EchoStar Global Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 106 595 377)                                         |\n| 4    | Myriota Pty Ltd (ACN 609 161 373)                                                           |\n| 5    | NBN Co Limited (ACN 136 533 741)                                                            |\n| 6    | Optus C1 Satellite Pty Limited (ACN 087 587 504)                                            |\n| 7    | Optus Networks Pty Limited (ACN 008 570 330)                                                |\n| 8    | Optus Satellite Network Pty Limited (ACN 091 789 945)                                       |\n|      |                                                                                             |\n|      |                                                                                             |\n|      |                                                                                             |","sortOrder":6}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This appears to be a straightforward re-enactment and update of the 2014 determination. The scope remains limited to identifying which space objects qualify as 'Australian' for the purposes of the Radiocommunications Act. The structure and purpose are identical to the repealed instrument, with updates likely limited to the list of entities and alignment with the new 2025 class licence."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (only 6 substantive sections plus a schedule)","Only 2 defined terms in the interpretation section ('class licence' and 'Commonwealth entity')","Simple conditional structure: two cumulative requirements in section 6 (ownership/control AND frequency operation)","Single schedule with a straightforward table listing 8 entities","Heavy reliance on external definitions (terms defined in the parent Act, the PGPA Act, and the ACMA Act) rather than internal complexity","No nested exceptions, no conditional logic beyond the basic 'and' requirement in section 6"],"plain_english_summary":"This replaces the 2014 determination with a 2025 version that defines which satellites and space equipment count as \"Australian space objects\" for communications licensing. It targets entities listed in Schedule 1 (including Defence, NBN Co, Optus entities, AsiaSpace, EchoStar and Myriota) so those operators can use the related class licence rather than individual licences. The update modernises coverage and aligns the list with the new 2025 class-licence framework."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Determination expressly repeals the 2014 Determination (section 4) and ties Australian space object status to the 2025 class licence (definition of class licence in section 5; operation in specified frequency ranges in section 6(b)). Schedule 1 supplies an updated list of named owners/operators. Taken together, these elements indicate an update to the prior designation regime: the named entities and the reliance on the 2025 class licence replace the previous instrument’s arrangements (exact differences from the 2014 instrument cannot be determined from this text alone)."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow, targeted operation: the instrument mechanically designates particular space objects as Australian space objects rather than creating a general regulatory regime (see section 6 and Schedule 1).","Reliance on external instruments and definitions: the determination depends on the Radiocommunications Act, the Radiocommunications (Communication with Space Object) Class Licence 2025 and other Acts for key terms and obligations (see sections 5 and 6(b), and the definition of class licence in section 5).","Cross-reference and repeal: it repeals the 2014 Determination (section 4), so legal effect depends on differences between instruments outside this text.","Operational dependence on licence technicalities: application turns on whether a space station operates in frequency ranges specified in paragraph 8(a) or (b) of the class licence, creating dependency on technical licence drafting for scope (see section 6(b)).","Limited procedural detail and administrative discretion: the instrument is made under section 5 of the Act (section 3) and provides no additional compliance procedures or fee rules, leaving implementation to the Act, the class licence and administering agencies."],"plain_english_summary":"This Determination declares certain space objects to be \"Australian space objects\" under the Radiocommunications Act. It applies to objects owned, controlled or operated by listed Commonwealth entities or the corporations named in Schedule 1 that operate a space station in the frequency ranges set out by the 2025 class licence.\n\nThe practical effect is that the named owners/operators must meet the Act’s regulatory and class‑licence requirements and bear any compliance costs; the instrument also repeals the 2014 Determination and updates the named list."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-australian-space-objects-determination-2025","history":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-australian-space-objects-determination-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-australian-space-objects-determination-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-australian-space-objects-determination-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-australian-space-objects-determination-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/radiocommunications-australian-space-objects-determination-2025/documents"}}