FCC Satellite Applications Filed

EchoStar has filed applications for authority to construct, launch and operate two new satellites to provide Fixed Satellite Services to North and Central America. The orbital slots requested are 83 degrees and 121 degrees West Longitude. Both satellites would use the 13.75-14.0 GHz uplink band and the 11.45-11.7 GHz downlink band.

Horizon Satellite LLC filed an application to modify the Permitted Space Station List entry for the Horizons I satellite (the Ku-band portion of the Galaxy XIII satellite at 127 degrees WL) to add one-way direct-to-home service to its permitted offerings. Space Communications Commission filed an application to add Superbird-C, a Ku-band satellite licensed by Japan located at 144 degrees East Longitude, to the Permitted List.

For more information, see FCC Report SAT-00188 - Satellite Space Applications Accepted for Filing.

Last week the FCC also clarified its Direct Broadcast Satellite Space Station application processing rules. Details are in the Public Notice DA 04-195, Report No SPB-198 released Wednesday. The Public Notice states, "we place DBS applicants on notice that, as of the date of this Public Notice, if a DBS application fails to include any of the required information as described above, the Bureau will return the application without prejudice to refiling as being unacceptable for filing. If a substantially complete application is refiled for the same space station for which the original defective application was filed, no additional fee is required. Applications filed prior to this Public Notice that do not meet these requirements may be subject to a Commission letter requesting that the applicant provide the required information. Failure to respond in a timely manner to the request for information may result in dismissal of the application."