Columbia Communications Corp. has requested special temporary authority (STA) to test C-band replacement satellite AMC-12 at 67.5 degrees West Longitude (WL) for up to 60 days following launch. Columbia said the testing at 67.5 degrees WL will not adversely affect the operation of any other carrier's spacecraft and will allow the testing to occur without disrupting existing customers at 37.5 degrees, the authorized location for the satellite. See FCC Report SAT-00248 for more details on this application and for information on Mobile Satellite Ventures' applications for modifications to its L-band replacement MSS satellite at 101 degrees WL and Globalstar LLC's request for an STA to maintain Flight Models 2 and 14 at an orbit of 1514 km.
Star One SA relinquished its Permitted Space Station List entry for the Star One C1 satellite on Sept. 23, 2004. The satellite is licensed by Brazil and intended to operate in the 3700-4200 MHz, 5925-6425 MHz, 11700-12200 MHz and 14000-14500 MHz bands at the 65-degree WL orbital location. Because the frequencies used by Star One C1 at this location are no longer authorized for service in the U.S., the FCC said they are now available for reassignment for U.S. service.
PanAmSat was granted a 180 day extension of its STA (through February 9, 2005) to operate the tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C) payload on Galaxy 9 at 90.9 degrees WL. The FCC also granted PanAmSat's STA request to drift hybrid C/Ku-band satellite Galaxy III-R from its current location at 111.06 degrees WL to 111.0 degrees WL, conduct TT&C operations necessary for the drift and to maintain it at the location from Oct. 4, 2004 to Nov. 3, 2004. PanAmSat was also allowed to continue operating Galaxy 12 at 125.25 degrees WL, Galaxy 9 at 90.9 degrees WL, and PAS-5 at 166 degrees East Longitude in accordance with the terms of its existing STA following a pro forma transfer of control of PanAmSat Licensee Corp.
For details on these actions and for information on other actions applying to Constellation, LLC, International Telephone and Satellite Corporation, and EchoStar LLC, see FCC Report SAT-00249.
In other satellite news, the FCC announced the promotion of Scott Kotler to the position of Chief, Systems Analysis Branch, Satellite Division, replacing Bill Howden who has been named to the position of Technical Advisor at the Satellite Division Front Office.
Mr. Kotler joined the FCC as an electronics engineer in the Satellite Engineering Branch and was involved in International Satellite Frequency Coordination and servced as the FCC representative to ITU Working Party 4A on Fixed-Satellite Service issues. He has an M.P.A. from Harvard University, an M.S.E.E. from Purdue University and a B.S.E.E. from Florida State University.
Mr. Howden joined the Satellite Division in March 2002 as Chief, System Analysis Branch. Before that he was a telecom equipment registration manager in the Network Services Division of the former Common Carrier Bureau.
For additional information, see the FCC news release International Bureau's Satellite Division Announces Staffing Changes.
