The FCC accepted an application from DirecTV Enterprises requesting a six-month extension of its June 25, 2005 milestone for launching the SPACEWAY 2 Ka-band satellite, which is authorized for the 99.2 degree West Longitude (WL) orbital location. An electrical failure on a non-DirecTV satellite scheduled to launch on the same launch vehicle as SPACEWAY 2 prevents the launch from occurring prior to the June 25, 2005 deadline, according to DirecTV. The six-month extension was requested to allow sufficient time to arrange for launch of the satellite. EchoStar Satellite LLC filed an application to modify its authorization to construct, launch and operate its EchoStar121W-KuX extended Ku-band satellite to add the authority to operate on Ka-band frequency bands 18.3-18.8 GHz, 28.35-28.6 GHz and 29.25-29.5 GHz at the 121 degree WL location. For additional information, see FCC Report SAT-00301.
EchoStar Satellite was granted special temporary authority (STA) to relocate EchoStar 4 from 157 degrees WL to 61.35 degrees WL and operate the satellite's tracking, telemetry and command and monitoring (TTC&M) functions during the drift to 61.35 degrees WL, until July 17, 2005. DirecTV Enterprises was granted STA to operate tracking, telemetry, command (TTC) functions for DirecTV 8 using 17,307 MHz for Earth-to-space communication and 12,203.25 MHz and 12,203.75 MHz for space-to-Earth communication at and during transit to the 100.65 degree WL orbital location. DirecTV was also granted STA to operate the Ka-band communications payload in the 18.3-18.8 GHz and 19.7-20.2 GHz bands for space-to-Earth transmission and to use the 28.35-28.6 GHz and 29.25-30.0 GHz bands for transmission to the satellite from Earth at the 100.65 degree WL location. The STA commenced June 24, 2005 and valid for 30 days. See FCC Report SAT-00302 for more information on this grant and other, non-technical, actions. .
The FCC dismissed applications by DirecTV Enterprises for authority to operate new Ka-band earth stations in Castle Rock, Colo. and Los Angeles, Calif. using Andrew 9.2 meter antennas. The FCC denied the applications because they did not include the required antenna measurements taken on a calibrated antenna range. DirecTV requested a waiver of this requirement, but the FCC said they did not provide sufficient justification for a waiver. The FCC found other errors on the application. In his, letter to DirecTV's attorney, Scott Kotler, Chief, FCC systems Analysis Branch said DirecTV should fix these errors if it chooses to refile the applications.
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