Space startup Swarm Technologies, which launched four tiny satellites without government approval earlier this year, has agreed to pay $900,000 to the US Treasury for the unauthorized flight. The fine is part of a settlement with the Federal Communications Commission, which investigated the incident. The company will also have to adhere to a “strict compliance plan” and must submit extra documentation to the FCC whenever it hopes to launch more satellites in the future.
Swarm Technologies is a fairly new player in the space field, with hopes of eventually sending up to 100 satellites into orbit to beam global internet coverage to Earth for connected devices. On January 12th, the company launched its first satellites on an Indian PSLV...