Satellite Update

By Doug Lung
published

The FCC accepted for filing an application from AtContact requesting authority to relocate its authorized satellite S2680 at 83 degrees west longitude (WL) to 87.2 degrees WL. At the new location the satellite will continue to use its authorized Ka-band frequencies at 28.6-29.1 GHz (uplink) and 18.8-19.3 GHz (downlink). AtContact seeks permission to add the frequencies 18.3-18.8 GHz (downlink), 19.7-20.2 GHz (downlink), 28.35-28.6 GHz (uplink), and 29.25-30.0 GHz (uplink).

Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV) requested modification of its license for L-band mobile satellite service (MSS) satellite MSV-1 to relocate it from its authorized orbital location at 101 degrees WL to 100.95 degrees WL. SES Americom filed to modify its AMC-2 license to reassign the spacecraft from 85 degrees WL to 101 degrees WL and operate it at that location in the conventional C and Ku-bands.

SES Americom sought authority to perform telemetry tracking and command operations in those bands while relocating AMC-2 and requested a limited waiver of Section 25.114(d)(3) requiring predicted antenna gain contour plots. From Report SAT-00503.

The FCC granted XM Radio’s application to operate Satellite Digital Radio Service (SDARS) satellite, XM-2 at 85.217 degrees WL as a non-transmitting (except for telemetry transmissions in the 2332.5-2445 MHz frequency band) in-orbit spare for the duration of the license term of the satellite. XM Radio is authorized to activate the communications payloads of XM-2 in the SDARS band in the event of a service outage of XM-3 or XM-4. XM Radio was allowed to operate XM-1 satellite radio at 85.150 degrees WL as a non-transmitting in-orbit spare under the same conditions. The FCC authorized XM Radio to operate the XM-3 SDARS satellite at 85.083 degrees WL.

The FCC International Bureau Policy Branch granted a petition from Star One SA to add the hybrid C and Ku-band Star One C5 satellite located at 68 degrees WL to the Commission’s Permitted Space Station List. This allows U.S. licensed earth stations with “ALSAT” designed at the point of communication to use the satellite in the conventional C and Ku-bands.

These FCC actions are listed in FCC Report SAT-00502.

Your comments and story leads are always appreciated! Drop me a note at dlung@transmitter.com.

Doug Lung
Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack. A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.