Satellite Update - July 1, 2010


From FCC Report SAT-00701 [PDF]:

  • •PanAmSat Licensee Corporation requested special temporary authority (STA) for six months (the maximum period allowed for STA) to continue operating Galaxy 12 at 133 degrees west longitude (WL). Galaxy 12 was moved to this location after PanAmSat lost control of Galaxy 15 which used to be located at 133 degrees but is now drifting east through the geostationary satellite arc. SES Americom requested STA for 150 days to perform telemetry, tracking, command and monitoring using specified C-band frequencies as required relocate Satcom C-3 from 79.05 degrees WL to 79.15 degrees WL. SES Americom said the C-band communications payload on Satcom C-3 will not be operated while the satellite is at 79.15 degrees WL. Sirius XM Radio requested STA for 180 days to continue to operate two satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) terrestrial repeaters with EIRP up to 2,000 Watts (average) in Puerto Rico. The repeaters will operate in the 2320-2345 MHz SDARS band.


From FCC Report SAT-00702[PDF].

  • •The FCC granted, with conditions, SES Americom's request to move C- and Ku-band satellite AMC-2 from 101 degrees WL to 78.95 degrees WL and operate it at that location to provide fixed satellite services (FSS) and direct-to-home service using conventional C- and Ku-bands. SES Americom is also authorized to used specified C- and Ku-band frequencies for tracking, telemetry, command and monitoring operations. The FCC allowed Sirius XM Radio to continue to provide emergency radio broadcast programming in Haiti via the Sirius FM-5 SDARS satellite at 96 degrees WL under STA for 180 days in support of relief efforts in Haiti.
  • •The FCC approved a request from Intelsat North America LLC for STA to continue to drift C- and Ku-band satellite Intelsat 709 to 54.85 degrees east longitude (EL). Intelsat is allowed to use specified C-band frequencies for telemetry, tracking and command. Once at 54.85 degrees EL, Intelsat is authorized to provide fixed satellite services in the 3700-4200 MHz, 10950-11200 MHz, 11450-11700 MHz, and 12500-12750 MHz frequency bands (space-to-Earth) and the 5925-6425 MHz and 14000-14500 MHz bands (Earth-to-space).
  • •The saga of out-of-control satellite Galaxy 15 continues. The FCC granted PanAmSat STA for seven days, starting June 24, 2010, to operate the conventional C-band communications payload aboard the Galaxy 15 space station outside its previously authorized +/-0.05 degree east/west station-keeping box.
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.