Satellite Update – Oct. 13, 2011


From FCC Report SAT-00813:

  • •The FCC International Bureau's Satellite Division granted, with a condition, Intelsat License LLC's request for special temporary authority (STA) to continue operating the telemetry, tracking and telecommand (TT&C) operations with Intelsat 706 necessary to maintain it at 72.0 degrees east longitude (EL) using specified C-band frequencies. Intelsat also received STA to continue to provide fixed satellite service (FSS) from this location using conventional C-band frequencies and 10.95-11.2 GHz, 11.45-11.70 GHz, 12.5-127.75 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 14.0-14.5 GHz (Earth-to-space).
  • •It appears that Galaxy 15 will be returning to its original location at 133.0 degrees WL. The FCC granted Intelsat's application for STA to conduct TT&C necessary to drift Galaxy 15 from 133.1 west longitude (WL) degrees to 133.0 degrees WL and said that when the spacecraft arrives at 133.0 degrees WL, Intelsat could then resume operations in the 3700-4200 MHz (space-to-Earth) and 5925-6425 MHz (Earth-to-space) frequency bands, subject to the terms of its original permission grant. (As you may recall, Galaxy 15 was a "zombie-sat" that drifted east out of control across the geostationary arc with its transponders were still operating. It finally "rebooted" and ground controllers were able to regain control.)
  • •Intelsat also received STA to 60 days to continue to conduct TT&C necessary to maintain Galaxy 26 at 50.0 degrees EL using specified C-band frequencies. Intelsat is authorized to continue to temporarily provide fixed satellite services via Galaxy 26 using 11.7-12.2 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 14.0-14.5 GHz (Earth-to-space) on an unprotected, non-interference basis.
  • •The FCC granted XM Radio LLC STA to activate the communications payload and conduct in-orbit performance testing of XM-5 at 85.15 degrees WL using 2320-2345 MHz (space-to-Earth).


(See RF Shorts in this Report for links to articles about Anik-F2's loss of Earth pointing.

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.