PanAmSat Licensee filed an application to operate its Galaxy 9 satellite from 90.9 degrees West Longitude (WL) providing C-band coverage to the U.S. XM Radio requested special temporary authority (STA) to operate up to 5,000 in-store signal boosters with an effective radiated power of 0.0001 watts (100 microwatts) on its licensed frequencies in 2332.5-2345 MHz band at retail outlets. The STA was requested for 180 days or until the effective date of permanent rules allowing operation of Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service terrestrial repeaters, whichever occurs first. Sirius Satellite Radio filed for similar STA, using its licensed frequencies in the 2320-2332.5 MHz band. DirecTV Enterprises LLC seeks STA to drift the DirecTV 8 satellite from 101 degrees WL to 138 degrees WL, conduct in-orbit testing of the DBS payload at that location, and then move it back to 101 degrees WL. DirecTV has made arrangements with Canada to use its BSS orbital location at 138 degrees WL for approximately two weeks in September. See FCC Report SAT-00305 for more information on these applications.
The FCC granted a request for STA EchoStar Satellite LLC to conduct the Tracking, Telemetry and Command (TT&C) necessary remove to EchoStar 4 from its current drift orbit and place it at the 77 degree WL orbital location. You may recall that the FCC previously denied EchoStar's STA request and application to move EchoStar 4 to this location.
"EchoStar shall operate on a non-harmful interference basis so as not to exceed, under any conditions, and taking into account all variations in satellite attitude, the parameters specified in Attachment A of the Letter, dated May 10, 2005, from Panatelas Michalopoulos to the Secretary, FCC," according to the FCC. In addition, the letter stated the STA was without prejudice to EchoStar's Petition for Reconsideration of the Memorandum Opinion and Order denying the STA and application and does not constitute an authorization pursuant to FCC Rules Section 25.161(c) concerning automatic termination of license. The FCC also dismissed, at the request of the applicant, several applications from Lockheed Martin to launch and operate radionavigation satellites at various geostationary orbit locations. For information on these FCC actions refer to FCC Report SAT-00306.
The FCC denied, one exception (which is now moot), multiple requests from Loral SpaceCom to extend or waive its construction completion and launch its Telstar 9 satellite at the 69 degree WL orbital location. As a result, the frequency bands 3700-4200 MHz, 5925-6425 MHz, 11.7-12.2 GHz, 13.75-14.0 GHz, 14.0 GHz-14.25 GHz, and 10.95-11.2 GHz at 69 degrees WL are now available for reassignment. Details are in Memorandum Opinion and Order DA 05-1962.
