Satellite Update – May 8, 2009

By Doug Lung
published

From FCC Report SAT-00600 and other sources:

  • • AfriSpace, Inc., Debtor-in-Possession, filed an application to assign its space station authorizations to AfriSpace Satellite, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of WorldSpace US Holdings, Inc. 1WorldSpace is a satellite radio service covering areas in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The two L-band satellites used by 1WorldSpace – AfriStar and AsiaStar – do not cover the U.S., but four of its original content channels are available on XM Satellite Radio. In another filing, Sirius XM Radio, Inc. requested special temporary authority (STA) to operate 25 terrestrial repeaters with EIRP up to 2,000 watts for 180 days at specified locations throughout the United States. The repeaters would operate in the 2320-2345 MHz frequency band allocated to the Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS). From FCC Report SAT-00600 and other sources.


From FCC Report SAT-00601:

  • • New Skies Satellite N.V. withdrew its Petition for Reconsideration of the FCC's grant of authority to operate Intelsat 702 satellite at 54.85 degrees west longitude. The FCC granted an application from Satellite CD Radio, Inc. to modify its FM-6 satellite authorization to reflect an updated orbital debris mitigation plan.
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.