STA Narrative

1771-EX-ST-2017 Text Documents

Iridium Satellite LLC

2017-12-08ELS_202095

Iridium Satellite LLC Exhibit 1
Request for Temporary Authority

Request for Special Temporary Authority

Rocket Lab USA (“Rocket Lab”) has requested special temporary authority
(“STA”) to operate an Iridium 9602 modem on its commercial launch vehicle.1 The
modem will transmit to space stations in Iridium’s “Big LEO” constellation.

Iridium hereby requests an STA to transmit in the reverse direction, from its Big
LEO constellation to the 9602 modem on Rocket Lab’s launch vehicle.2 The technical
characteristics of these transmissions will be identical to the technical characteristic of
Iridium’s already-licensed space station transmissions in the 1618.725–1626.5 MHz
band.3

Iridium’s space station constellation is licensed under Call Sign S2110. Because
Iridium will be operating under the requested STA in accordance with the parameters
of its license, no operating parameters, other than effective radiated power, were used
in the form that this exhibit accompanies. The only change from Iridium’s licensed
operations is that Iridium will be adding the modem on Rocket Lab’s launch vehicle as
a point of communication. Iridium’s space station license does not cover intersatellite
communications in the 1618.725–1626.5 MHz band.

1 See File No. 1680-EX-ST-2017.
2 The Form 442 that this narrative accompanies states that two satellite phone units will be used. This
statement reflects the fact that there will be a primary unit and a back-up unit. But only a single unit will
be operational at any given time.
3 Iridium’s constellation is comprised of 66 satellites, any one of which may be used as part of the

experiment at any point in time.

Document Created: 2017-12-08 11:19:34
Document Modified: 2017-12-08 11:19:34

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