The Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA) urged the FCC to exempt geostationary satellite orbit (GSO) birds from any new disposal orbit requirements. SIA was referring to the Commission’s pending rulemaking on orbital debris, and emphasized that “any new rules should apply prospectively only, to satellites launched after the rules are adopted.” While data had been presented on the potential monetary loss to operators under new rules, SIA said “the record does not demonstrate that retroactive application of any new rules would result in significant benefits.”
Four space organizations announced formation of the National Space & Satellite Alliance (NSSA). The Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA), the National Space Society, the Space Foundation and the Washington Space Business Roundtable are the founding members of the organization, which will “marshal the resources of the space and satellite advocacy community to most effectively advance the exploration and development of space and the utilization of space and satellite systems and technologies.” While the members plan to coordinate Washington operations, programs and activities, an SIA spokesman said none would disappear: “No one is going away, we'll just work close together in the future.” A spokesman for the Satellite Bcstg. & Communications Assn. (SBCA) said his organization didn’t join because its members’ goals are different. He said while SBCA and SIA coordinated on issues, SBCA had been presented with a plan for the alliance that was focused on military, satellite manufacturing and hardware industries, while SBCA members were more interested in entertainment. The SIA spokesman said NSSA planned to approach more organizations in 6 months, after accomplishing some of its goals, including: (1) Building congressional support for space exploration. (2) Working on export control laws that protect national security without burdening industry. (3) Increasing public awareness of the role of satellite systems in homeland security. NSSA, which won’t have a dedicated staff, will be located at 1620 I St. NW and plans to establish a Web site at www.spacealliance.org.
Four space organizations announced formation of the National Space & Satellite Alliance (NSSA). The Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA), the National Space Society, the Space Foundation and the Washington Space Business Roundtable are the founding members of the organization, which will “marshal the resources of the space and satellite advocacy community to most effectively advance the exploration and development of space and the utilization of space and satellite systems and technologies.” While the members plan to coordinate Washington operations, programs and activities, an SIA spokesman said none would disappear: “No one is going away, we'll just work close together in the future.” A spokesman for the Satellite Bcstg. & Communications Assn. (SBCA) said his organization didn’t join because its members’ goals are different. He said while SBCA and SIA coordinated on issues, SBCA had been presented with a plan for the alliance that was focused on military, satellite manufacturing and hardware industries, while SBCA members were more interested in entertainment. The SIA spokesman said NSSA planned to approach more organizations in 6 months, after accomplishing some of its goals, including: (1) Building congressional support for space exploration. (2) Working on export control laws that protect national security without burdening industry. (3) Increasing public awareness of the role of satellite systems in homeland security. NSSA, which won’t have a dedicated staff, will be located at 1620 I St. NW and plans to establish a Web site at www.spacealliance.org.
The Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA) asked the FCC to withdraw a letter it had submitted recently on the orbital debris issue because there wasn’t a consensus among its members. The satellite industry has been concerned of late that new rules would be adopted without industry input (CD Dec 12 p11). The letter had asked the Commission to refrain from adopting a rule changing station-keeping tolerance for geostationary satellite orbit (GSO) mobile satellite service (MSS) operators. However, the request doesn’t “reflect a consensus position among the members,” SIA said.
In a development that could have implications for the creation of a new realm of CE devices, the FCC adopted rules Wed. for systems that provide a short-range, wireless link for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).
Touting benefits for homeland security, the FCC adopted rules Wed. for systems that provide a short-range, wireless link for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The service and licensing rules cover Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) at 5.9 GHz, including collision avoidance at intersections and electronic toll collection. The Transportation Dept. said the move would let research started in the mid-1990s continue, in part by freeing dedicated spectrum. Meanwhile, the FCC deferred a decision on a coordination issue involving the fixed satellite service until negotiations between govt. and industry conclude.
The Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA) asked the FCC not to adopt a rule requiring geostationary satellite orbit (GSO) mobile satellite service (MSS) birds to “maintain a longitudinal (East-West) station-keeping tolerance of 0.05 degrees, rather than the currently permitted tolerance of 0.1 degrees.” The organization’s comments were submitted in case involving the mitigation of orbital debris. SIA said the change was unnecessary and would increase the operating costs of GSO MSS satellites. While the 0.05 degrees longitude requirement is applied to GSO FSS satellites, the restriction was created “in response to concerns that FSS networks operating in a 2 degrees spacing environment would need the stringent longitude station-keeping requirement in order to avoid harmful interference between adjacent networks,” SIA said. The same risk isn’t present with MSS satellites, and would require more fuel and reduce satellites’ operating life, it said.
The Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA) asked the FCC to delay any action on the issue of orbital debris until “a more complete review can be accomplished.” The ex parte letter referred to industry concerns that the Commission might change the rules without consulting the industry (CD Dec 8 p15). “Given the past extremely successful practices of the industry, it was unclear that the Commission had identified a problem that required regulation,” SIA said. It said additional regulation would result in increased costs to the industry in addition to shortening the lives of satellites. SIA recommended new regulations, if necessary, be imposed on a case-by-case basis, rather than be implemented as a part of the licensing process. Non-U.S. licensed satellites asking to serve the U.S. market also should be required to follow any new rules, it said. Separately, SIA, PanAmSat and SES Americom met with the FCC on the same issue. While they recommended grandfathering of in-orbit satellites, they said nothing in the record supported new regulation: “Neither the [notice of proposed rulemaking] nor comments responding to it contain evidence that quantifies the collision risk represented by deorbited satellites today or the incremental reduction risk that is expected to result if operators are required to increase the deorbit altitude.” The parties said that while deorbit guidelines were different for U.S. govt. satellites than commercial satellites, “the cost/benefit analysis for a government satellite, which is not dependent on customer revenues, is different than the corresponding analysis for a commercial satellite which is.”
The FCC International Bureau unveiled a tentative timeline for the first phase of the upgrade in its electronic filing system (IBFS). In a public meeting Fri. kicking off the design phase, Assoc. Bureau Chief Jacqueline Ponti said the bureau planned to meet Dec. 12 with various groups -- including the FCBA, the Satellite Bcstg. & Communications Assn. (SBCA) and the Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA) -- to discuss design of the home page and account window. It also will meet Dec. 15-16 with working groups to discuss various aspects of Form 312EZ, she said. The first phase is scheduled to be completed next spring, with future phases to begin in the summer, she said. Separately, Ponti said the bureau hoped to help save time spent now on completing the initial application review. For example, the new system should tell applicants whether the required technical data provided was in line with the rules, she said: “If it isn’t, it will ask you for a waiver. If you don’t have one, the system won’t let you file it.” She said the new forms should help demystify the rules for applicants and create regulatory certainty “at a faster pace.”
The Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA), in a letter to the FCC, proposed adding 5 MHz to the adopted 5 MHz guard band (1995-200 MHz) for nonancillary terrestrial component (ATC) mobile satellite service (MSS). The guard band was adopted in the Commission’s order assigning spectrum below 3 GHz for advanced wireless services and 3rd-generation wireless systems (3G). SIA said while PCS carriers claimed MSS ATC systems would cause harmful interference above 1990 MHz, there had been no “demonstrated technical basis… for those claims.” Creation of a non-ATC MSS band would give MSS operators an additional 5 MHz of 2 GHz spectrum to use and wouldn’t leave the spectrum wasted, SIA said. The proposal wouldn’t change SIA’s previously stated position that the spectrum shouldn’t be reallocated in the first place, SIA said: “SIA proposes this compromise, however, in hopes of bringing an expedient resolution of this proceeding, thereby providing greater regulatory certainty for spectrum users in the 2 GHz band.”