The $3.1 billion merger of rival satellite fleet operators SES and Intelsat is a done deal – receiving the greenlight from the US FCC this week, a month after EU and UK regulators also gave clearance. With satellite TV in structural decline, this is a much-needed dose of consolidation that reduces the distribution market down to just two global incumbents. The FCC’s assessment claims the merger has the potential to lower costs, improve quality, and increase investment in satellite connectivity. More importantly, the FCC has long been eager for a challenger to Elon Musk’s Starlink operation. But while the battle for satellite broadband contracts is well-publicized, there could also be a scramble now that SES and Intelsat have merged for…