Satellite Update for Jan. 25, 2013

By Doug Lung
published

From FCC Report SAT-00924, “Satellite Space Applications Accepted for Filing:”

• Intelsat License LLC requested special temporary authority (STA) for 180 days to conduct telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) operations necessary to drift Galaxy 11 from its currently authorized location at 55.5 degrees west longitude (WL) to 55.6 degrees WL and to maintain it at that location when it arrives there using specified Ku-band frequencies. Intelsat also requested STA to provide fixed satellite service (FSS) from Galaxy 11 during the drift and after arrival at 55.6 degrees WL using 10.95-11.2 GHz and 11.7-12.2 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 13.75-14.5 GHz (Earth-to-space).

From FCC Report SAT-00925 - “Actions Taken:”

• The FCC International Bureau's Satellite Division granted, with conditions, Intelsat License LLC's request to modify the authorization for Intelsat 19, allowing it to provide FSS at 166.0 degrees east longitude (EL) using the 12.25-12.75 GHz band (space-to-Earth) in ITU Region 2, including portions of the United States within the antenna beam patterns provided in Intelsat's application.

• EchoStar Satellite Operating Corporation received STA for 180 days to conduct TT&C operations necessary to maintain EchoStar 6 at 76.8 degrees WL rather than its previously authorized location at 76.95 degrees WL using center frequencies 17.3050 GHz (Earth-to-space) and 12.2030 GHz and 12.2040 GHz (space-to-Earth). The STA allows EchoStar to provide DBS service on a temporary basis using EchoStar 6 on DBS Channels 1-32 with feeder links in the 17.3-17.8 GHz band and service links in the 12.2-12.7 GHz band.

• Intelsat's request for STA for TT&C operations necessary to drift Galaxy 11 from 55.5 degrees WL to 55.6 degrees WL was granted. See the description of its application in the previous section for frequencies.

• The Satellite Division granted STA, with conditions, allowing XM Radio LLC to activate the communications payload of its Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) satellite XM-5 at 85.15 degrees WL for performance testing purposes in the 2320-2345 MHz (space-to-Earth) frequency band.

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.