Satellite Update — April 3, 2009

By Doug Lung
published

From FCC Report SAT-00592.

  • • Intelsat North America LLC requested authority to relocate Galaxy 26 from 93.0 degrees west longitude to the 50.75 degree east longitude orbital location. Galaxy 26 uses conventional C- and Ku-bands. XM Radio Inc. requested a five-year extension of its license for the XM-1 spacecraft through May 31, 2014.


From FCC Report SAT-00591:

  • • The FCC granted, with conditions, ViaSat's application to change the technical parameters of its VIASAT-KA1 satellite. VIASAT-KA1 is authorized to operate at 77.3 degrees WL. ViaSat is now authorized to relocate VIASAT-KA1's telecommand functions from the 28.35-28.6 GHz band to one megahertz of bandwidth each at 29,500.5 MHz and 29,503.0 MHz and to relocate telemetry functions from 18.3-18.8 GHz to one megahertz each at 19,7010 MHz and 19,703.0 MHz.
  • • The FCC has allowed XM Radio Inc. to continue to operate its Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) space station, XM-2 at an orbital location of 85.217 degrees WL through March 31, 2014.
  • • PanAmSat received special temporary authority (STA) to perform tracking, telemetry and command with the Galaxy 4R satellite in order to execute end-of-life maneuvers boosting the satellite into a disposal orbit above the geostationary arc.
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.