Aerospace Corporation, THE

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION APPLICATION FOR SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY

Applicant Name

Name of Applicant:

Aerospace Corporation, THE

Address

Attention:	David Hinkley (M2-246)
Street Address:	2350 E. El Segundo Blvd
P.O. Box:
City:	El Segundo
State:	CA
Zip Code:	90245
Country:
E-Mail Address:	[email protected]

Best Contact

Give the following information of person who can best handle inquiries pertaining to this application:   Last Name: Hinkley First Name: David Title: PICOSAT project manager Phone Number: 310-336-5211

Explanation

Please explain in the area below why an STA is necessary: An STA is required due to the non-commercial, unique research-oriented and short-term nature of the operation. The experiment will be conducted over a two week period for MEPSI Picosatellite which uses a 2-week long primary battery power system and over the maximum STA award period for the AeroCube-2 satellite because it has a rechargeable power system.

Purpose of Operation

Please explain the purpose of operation:

MEPSI-2 Picosatellite test and AeroCube-2 test. The purpose of the operation is to conduct research regarding the space application of MEMS components and related microelectronics technologies. The operation includes a demonstration of principles of the physics of the low-earth-orbit space environment and its effects on MEMS microelectronics. The MEPSI-2 is a tethered pair of two PICOSAT-class satellites, each weighs less than 1.5 KG and each is 4x4x5 inches in dimension (see Exhibits). Tether is 15 feet long. The pair are being launched on Shuttle Mission STS-116 in December 2006. The orbit is 300 Km with 52 degrees inclination. Orbital debris analysis, which depends on future solar activity, has predicted an average lifetime of less than 1-year. A similar mission in 2002, launched off Shuttle had an orbit lifetime of 3 months, so the1-year is conservative. Each of the MEPSI-2 PICOSATs use a primary battery (no recharge capability) with an estimated lifetime of 2 weeks. The AeroCube-2 is a PICOSAT class satellite, weighs less than 1 KG and is a 10 cm cube (see Exhibits). It is being launched as part of an 8-Cubesat complement delivered to Russia by the Cal Poly CubeSat Program (www.Cubesat.org). The launch is on board a DNEPR vehicle in Kazakhstan, slated for a December 2006 launch but it may slip. The orbit is 650 Km Apogee and 800 Km perigee with 97 degrees inclination. Orbital debris analysis (see Exhibits), which depends on future solar activity, has an average lifetime of 30.4 years. Therefore, AeroCube-2 inflates a drag enhancing balloon that is approximately 108 square inches (12 inch diameter balloon) in drag area, minimum. This will reduce the lifetime to 10 years. Each MEPSI-2 satellite and the AeroCube-2 satellite has a Freewave Technologies, Inc. FGRM radio inside which outputs 2 Watts. We have fixed the frequency (i.e. not hopping or spread spectrum) at 914.7 MHz so that we can quickly link up with the satellites rather than waiting for the hopping sequence to sync up. (Each radio has its own serial number so only one can be talked to at any given moment). The MEPSI-2 PICOSATs and the AeroCube-2 have omni-directional patch antennas. We have the pattern calculated and tested but use -10dB as the gain for 90% of the sphere area (see Exhibits). When the MEPSI-2 pair or the AeroCube-2 satellite are ejected, they will power-on. However the radio in each satellite will be in receive-mode only. When the ground station uplinks a packet to link up with the satellite, that packet will contain a serial number for the radio. The radio will then respond and a link will be established. At that point the ground station will ask the satellite for whatever information it wants namely state of health log files or images from the cameras. The satellite will respond by downloading the requested information. When the link is lost due to the satellite passing out of view, and if it was transmitting at the time, it will try 256 times to complete the last packet transmitted. If each packet is 72 bytes long and the radio data rate is 38.4 Kbaud, then it will try for only a couple of seconds before the 256 attempts are exceeded. At that point it will go back into a passive receive mode again, awaiting the next packet from a ground station with the correct serial number. We would like to use three ground stations to communicate with MEPSI-2 satellites or the AeroCube-2 satellite. Each antenna has its benefits and detriments. A typical satellite pass is 5 minutes long and occurs a couple of times a day, so the system spends a lot of time not in use. The largest antenna is the 60’ diameter dish in Menlo Park, CA, near Stanford University. It has 41 dB gain, 1.5 deg beam width and would use a 2W Freewave FGRM radio on the feed horn. The second is the 16’ dish at The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, CA, near LAX airport. It has 30 dB gain, 5 deg beam width and also would use a 2W Freewave FGRM radio on the feed horn. The final ground station is a portable 2-meter diameter dish. This has 22 dB gain, 10 deg beam width and would use a Freewave FGRM radio with the output passed through a 9 W amplifier. This portable station we would like to use somewhere that is RF quiet and also advantageously located for maximum satellite coverage. We are thinking Anchorage Alaska would work well. Only the Palo Alto antenna will dip below 30 degrees above the horizon because it is the only one with sufficient gain. It could go as low as 10 degrees off the horizon unless the FCC has an issue however its narrow beam width will prevent it from contaminating urban areas. The other antennas will not go below 30 degrees above the horizon as this would increase the satellite link distance to an unacceptable space loss value for them.

Information

Callsign:	WC9XUF
Class of Station:	FX MO
Nature of Service:	Experimental

Requested Period of Operation

Operation Start Date:	12/15/2006
Operation End Date:	05/15/2007

Manufacturer

List below transmitting equipment to be installed (if experimental, so state) if additional rows are required, please submit equipment list as an exhibit:
Manufacturer	Model Number	No. Of Units	Experimental
Freewave Technologies	FGRM	1	No

Certification

Neither the applicant nor any other party to the application is subject to a denial of Federal benefits that includes FCC benefits pursuant to Section 5301 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, 21 U.S.C. Section 862, because of a conviction for possession or distribution of a controlled substance. The applicant hereby waives any claim to the use of any particular frequency or electromagnetic spectrum as against the regulatory power of the United States because of the prvious use of the same, whether by license or otherwise, and requests authorization in accordance with this application. (See Section 304 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.) The applicant acknowledges that all statements made in this application and attached exhibits are considered material representations, and that all the exhibits part hereof and are incorporated herein as if set out in full in this application; undersigned certifies that all statements in this application are true, complete and correct to the best of his/her knowledge and belief and are made in good faith. Applicant certifies that construction of the station would NOT be an action which is likely to have a significant environmental effect. See the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR1.1301-1.1319.

Signature of Applicant (Authorized person filing form):	David Hinkley
Title of Applicant (if any):	PICOSAT project manager
Date:	2006-10-25 00:00:00.0

Station Location

	City	State	Latitude	Longitude	Mobile	Radius of Operation
	Palo Alto	California	North  37  24  11	West  122  10  24

Datum:  NAD 83 Is a directional antenna (other than radar) used?   Yes Exhibit submitted:   Yes (a) Width of beam in degrees at the half-power point:   1.50 (b) Orientation in horizontal plane:   (c) Orientation in vertical plane:   Will the antenna extend more than 6 meters above the ground, or if mounted on an existing building, will it extend more than 6 meters above the building, or will the proposed antenna be mounted on an existing structure other than a building?   Yes (a) Overall height above ground to tip of antenna in meters:   20.00 (b) Elevation of ground at antenna site above mean sea level in meters:   150.00 (c) Distance to nearest aircraft landing area in kilometers:   10.00 (d) List any natural formations of existing man-made structures (hills, trees, water tanks, towers, etc.) which, in the opinion of the applicant, would tend to shield the antenna from aircraft: None

Action	Frequency	Station Class	Output Power/ERP	Mean Peak	Frequency Tolerance (+/-)	Emission Designator	Modulating Signal
New	914.70000000- MHz	FX	2.000000 W 31600.000000 W	P	0.16000000 %	357KF1D
	City	State	Latitude	Longitude	Mobile	Radius of Operation
	El Segundo	California	North  33  54  52	West  118  22  49

Datum:  NAD 83 Is a directional antenna (other than radar) used?   Yes Exhibit submitted:   No (a) Width of beam in degrees at the half-power point:   5.00 (b) Orientation in horizontal plane:   (c) Orientation in vertical plane:   Will the antenna extend more than 6 meters above the ground, or if mounted on an existing building, will it extend more than 6 meters above the building, or will the proposed antenna be mounted on an existing structure other than a building?   Yes (a) Overall height above ground to tip of antenna in meters:   7.00 (b) Elevation of ground at antenna site above mean sea level in meters:   10.00 (c) Distance to nearest aircraft landing area in kilometers:   3.00 (d) List any natural formations of existing man-made structures (hills, trees, water tanks, towers, etc.) which, in the opinion of the applicant, would tend to shield the antenna from aircraft: None

Action	Frequency	Station Class	Output Power/ERP	Mean Peak	Frequency Tolerance (+/-)	Emission Designator	Modulating Signal
New	914.70000000- MHz	FX	2.000000 W 3162.000000 W	P	0.01600000 %	357KF1D
	City	State	Latitude	Longitude	Mobile	Radius of Operation
	Anchorage	Alaska	North  61  10  0	West  150  1  0	20 miles south of Airport on Seward Highway 1	1.00

Datum:  NAD 83 Is a directional antenna (other than radar) used?   Yes Exhibit submitted:   No (a) Width of beam in degrees at the half-power point:   10.00 (b) Orientation in horizontal plane:   (c) Orientation in vertical plane:   Will the antenna extend more than 6 meters above the ground, or if mounted on an existing building, will it extend more than 6 meters above the building, or will the proposed antenna be mounted on an existing structure other than a building?   No (a) Overall height above ground to tip of antenna in meters:   (b) Elevation of ground at antenna site above mean sea level in meters:   (c) Distance to nearest aircraft landing area in kilometers:   (d) List any natural formations of existing man-made structures (hills, trees, water tanks, towers, etc.) which, in the opinion of the applicant, would tend to shield the antenna from aircraft:

Action	Frequency	Station Class	Output Power/ERP	Mean Peak	Frequency Tolerance (+/-)	Emission Designator	Modulating Signal
New	914.70000000- MHz	MO	9.000000 W 1258.000000 W	P	0.01600000 %	357KF1D
	City	State	Latitude	Longitude	Mobile	Radius of Operation
	Irwindale	California	North  34  6  44	West  117  58  53	Intersection of Buena Vista St and Galen St	1.00

Datum:  NAD 83 Is a directional antenna (other than radar) used?   Yes Exhibit submitted:   No (a) Width of beam in degrees at the half-power point:   15.00 (b) Orientation in horizontal plane:   (c) Orientation in vertical plane:   Will the antenna extend more than 6 meters above the ground, or if mounted on an existing building, will it extend more than 6 meters above the building, or will the proposed antenna be mounted on an existing structure other than a building?   No (a) Overall height above ground to tip of antenna in meters:   (b) Elevation of ground at antenna site above mean sea level in meters:   (c) Distance to nearest aircraft landing area in kilometers:   (d) List any natural formations of existing man-made structures (hills, trees, water tanks, towers, etc.) which, in the opinion of the applicant, would tend to shield the antenna from aircraft:

Action	Frequency	Station Class	Output Power/ERP	Mean Peak	Frequency Tolerance (+/-)	Emission Designator	Modulating Signal
New	914.70000000- MHz	MO	9.000000 W 1258.000000 W	P	0.01600000 %	357KF1D

34112