From FCC Report SAT-00683[PDF]:
- • SES Americom has requested permission to move AMC-2 from 101 degrees west longitude (WL) to 78.95 degrees WL and once at that location, operate tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C) and communications payloads using conventional C and Ku-band frequencies.
- • Satellite CD Radio, Inc. filed an application to launch and operate geostationary satellite FM-6 at 115.2 degrees WL to provide satellite digital audio radio services (SDARS) to subscribers in the U.S. using the 2320.0-2332.5 MHz band for downlinks (space-to-Earth) and 7025-7075 MHz for feeder links (Earth-to-space). TT&C operations will take place in these bands.
From FCC Report SAT-00684[PDF]:
- • The Satellite Division of the FCC's International Bureau granted, with conditions, an application from ViaSat to modify its authorization for Ka-band satellite (ViaSat-77 at 77.2 degrees WL to use the 18.8-19.3 GHz band (space-to-Earth) on a non-conforming basis and the 28.6-29.1 GHz band (Earth-to-space) on a secondary basis.
- • SES Americom was granted authority to construct, launch and operate its C and Ku-band satellite SES-1 at 101 degrees WL. SES Americom is allowed to use conventional C and Ku-band frequencies to provide fixed satellite services (FSS) and direct-to-home services. SES Americom was also granted authority to construct and launch the SES-1 with the capability of operating in the 24.75-25.25 GHz (Earth-to-space) and 17.3-17.8 GHz (space-to-Earth) frequency bands, although the FCC notes that SES Americom has not sought authority to for 17/25 GHz broadcast satellite service (BSS) operation and that the construction and launch authority "does not convey to SES Americom any status under the Commission's first -come, first-served processing framework with respect to the 17/24 GHz BSS capacity on this satellite."
- • Dish Operating LLC was granted special temporary authority to conduct TT&C operations necessary to relocate EchoStar 7 from 118.9 degrees WL to 118.8 degrees WL and to temporarily operate EchoStar 7 using its previously authorized DBS channels during the drift.
Regarding Galaxy 15, the article Solar Flare hits US Satellite on RapidTVNews.com quotes Orbital Sciences CEO David Thompson's views about the failure of Galaxy 15:
"The cause of the failure is probably traceable to a fairly severe level of solar activity that occurred over the April 3-April 5 period," he said.
Orbital Sciences built the Galaxy 15 satellite and also the SES-1 satellite (see note above) that was launched Monday. The RapidTVNews.com article said Orbital was hopeful that once Galaxy 15 clients--including several popular cable TV channels--were moved to Galaxy 12, Orbital could begin more intensive testing on Galaxy 15 and that service could well be resumed "by this summer." As noted before in RF Report, Galaxy 15's transponders are still working, but Intelsat and Orbital have no control over the satellite.
