DirecTV filed an application to change the requested orbital location of DirecTV 9S from 101.125 degrees west longitude to 101.10 degrees WL, to amend its orbital debris mitigation statement and update ownership information.
Hughes filed a request to amend its pending modification to launch and operate Ka-band satellite SPACEWAY 3 at 95 degrees WL to update the system's design to incorporate the technical characteristics of SPACEWAY 3; to combine the individual Ka-band payloads originally authorized for deployment as two satellites at 95 degrees WL into a single satellite at 94.95 degrees WL; and to reduce the spectrum to be implemented on the network from 2 x 1,000 MHz to the upper 2 x 500 MHz of spectrum in the geostationary orbit fixed satellite service Ka-band. Hughes requested several waivers in the application, including those for rules requiring it to provide final amplifier output power and losses to the spacecraft transmit antenna and identification of which antenna beams are connected to each transponder beam.
PanAmSat requested modification of its license for PAS-5 to point the vertically polarized Southeast Asia downlink beam further southeast relative to its licensed position in an effort to provide coverage to New Zealand in the 12,250-12,750 MHz band. PAS-5 is a C- and Ku-band satellite positioned at 166 degrees east longitude. PanAmSat requested a 180-day extension of its special temporary authority (STA) that allowed re-pointing the PAS-5 beam for a 30-day period ending March 19, 2006. PanAmSat filed another application requesting waivers of footnote NG 104 of the U.S. Table of Allocations and footnote 2 of Section 25.202(a)(1) of the rules to use frequencies in the 11.45-11.70 GHz band to provide service between U.S. domestic points on a non-interference basis from Galaxy 3C.
SES American requested STA for 120 days to relocate C-band satellite Satcom C-4 from 85 degrees WL to 103.1 degrees WL and to operate the telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) frequencies at that location. SES Americom said it does not intend to provide C-band services from Satcom C-4 at 103.1 degrees WL, but said the move will facilitate its planned further relocation of Satcom C-4 to 105 degrees WL and put it in a position to provide backup capability as needed in that portion of the arc. SES Americom intends to operate the satellite at that location pursuant to a license issued by the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority.
EchoStar requested STA to move EchoStar 6 to 110.4 degrees WL and store it at that location as an in-orbit space for 180 days. In another application, EchoStar requested authority to move EchoStar 6 from its current position at 110.2 degrees WL to 110.35 degrees WL while transferring traffic to the new EchoStar 10 satellite. Once the transfer is completed, EchoStar would move it to 110.4 degrees WL where it will use only TT&C frequencies as an in-orbit spare.
For more information on these applications, including the list of waivers requested by Hughes for SPACEWAY 3, see FCC Report SAT-00347.
The FCC conditionally granted SES Americom's request for STA to relocate Satcom SN-4 from 172 degrees EL to 171.8 degrees EL and operate TT&C to provide restoration capability if problems are encountered with AMC-23 during its initial period of operation. The STA is effective for 30 days, beginning March 10, 2006.
EchoStar's request for STA to drift its EchoStar 10 from its testing orbital location at 138.5 degrees WL to 110.2 degrees WL and station the satellite at 110.2 degrees WL using only TT&C frequencies was granted. The STA lasts for 60 days, beginning March 21, 2006.
For additional information on these FCC actions and another to determine whether EchoStar met the critical design review milestone associated with its S2490 authorization, see FCC Report SAT-00346.
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