Satellite Update - March 11, 2010

By Doug Lung
published


From FCC Report SAT-00669 [PDF]:

  • • Intelsat North American requested modification of its authorization for Intelsat 705 to relocate it to 29.5 degrees west longitude (WL) from 50 degrees WL and provide fixed satellite service at 29.5 degrees WL using 3700-4200 MHz, 10950-11200 MHz, 11500-11950 MHz and 12500-12750 MHz for space-to-Earth communications and 5925-6425 MHz and 14000-14500 MHz for Earth-to-space communications, (this request was later granted).
  • • PanAmSat Licensee Corp. asked the FCC to modify the authorization for Galaxy 12 to relocate it to 129.0 degrees WL and operate it on conventional C-band frequencies.
  • • EchoStar Corp. has requested an additional extension of its special temporary authority (STA) to continue to operate Direct Broadcast Satellite service (DBS) over channels 23 and 24 at 61.5 degrees WL. EchoStar has had STA at this location since February 2007. GlobalStar Licensee LLC requested extension of the dates by which it must come into compliance with certain ancillary terrestrial "gating criteria."


From FCC Report SAT-00670 [PDF]:

  • • The FCC International Bureau's Satellite Division granted a request from DirecTV Enterprises LLC to operate Spaceway 1 at 102.925 degrees WL using the 18.3-18.8 GHz and 19.7-20.2 GHz bands (space-to-Earth) and 28.35-28.60 GHz and 29.25-30.0 GHz bands (Earth-to-space). DirecTV also received permission to operate DirecTV 10 nearby at 102.815 degrees WL using 18.3-18.8 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 28.35-28.60 GHz and 29.25-29.5 GHz (Earth-to-space).
  • • Intelsat North America received STA to use specified C-band telemetry, tracking and telecommand (TT&C) frequencies to relocate Intelsat 601 from 19.95 degrees WL to 11.5 degrees east longitude.
  • • EchoStar received permission to temporarily operate EchoStar 6 as an in-orbit spare at 61.65 degrees WL and to use specified TT&C frequencies necessary for its operation. EchoStar is also authorized to activate EchoStar 6's communications payload for testing and in the event of a service outage on EchoStar 3 or EchoStar 12.


Also refer to FCC Report SAT-00670 for information about the FCC's notification of a transfer of control of DigitalGlobe's grant of authority to Morgan Stanley. DigitalGlobe operates the Earth sensing satellites that provide images for Google Earth and Google Maps.

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.