NASA coordination agreement oct 26th 2005

0048-EX-PL-2007 Text Documents

ViaSat, Inc.

2007-07-18ELS_82611

                                     A Coordination Agreement
               Between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
                      .          (hereinafter "NASA")
                  and VIASAT, Incorporated (hereinafter "VIASAT")
                for Operation of the VIASAT Arclight® AMSS Operation
                              in the 14.0 — 14.5 GHz—Band


 VIASAT seeks to license and operate aeronautical mobile—satellite stations (AMSS) over the
 Continental United States (CONUS) on a secondary basis in the 14.0 to 14.5 GHz FSS band.
 The AMSS terminals are part of the ViaSat Arclight® satellite communications system aboard
 general aviation and commercial aircraft using transponders in the Geostationary Satellite Orbit
 (GSO) arc. This Coordination Agreement has been prepared in compliance with the rules of the
 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the recommendations of the member states of
 the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) following the World Radio Communication
 Conference WRC—O3.


1.       Overview

 1.1    The 14.0—14.5 GHz—band has been allocated to mobile—satellite service, now including
   —_   aeronautical mobile—satellite service, on a secondary basis, provided that Airborne Earth
        Stations (AES) include specific protection to the Space Research Services (SRS) earth
        stations and to the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) within the 13.40 —
         14.4 GHz—band

1.2      ViaSat, Inc. is expected to file an application for license authorization to operate up to
        1,000 number of technically identical AES units in the 14.0 —14.5 GHz—band.

1.3      The ViaSat Arclight® AESs receive from, and transmit to, the same GSO satellite
         transponder under control of a Ground Earth Station (GES) and Network Operations Center
     .....{[NOC)...They, and the terrestrial network to whichtheyare connected, comprise the .. ... .... . ... .. .......
        VIASAT system.

1.4      This Coordination Agreement has been prepared to ensure that operation of the ViaSat
        Arclight® AESs conform to FCC requirements for protection of the SRS Network.

1.5      ViaSat, Inc. has the authority to negotiate and sign this Coordination Agreement for their
        Arclight® AMSS and NASA has the authority to negotiate and sign this agreement for the
        TDRSS and SRS Network sites listed in Section 2.1.




NASA Coordination Agreement                    1 of 6


 2.       AUTHORITY

       2.1 NASA concludes this agreement pursuant to 42 USC §2473 © (5) and (6) and section
        203 © (5) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 as amended, in addition to the
       Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management (National
       Telecommunications & Information Administration Redbook), May 2003 Edition, May 2005
       Revisions.

 3.     Space Research Services Earth Stations

 3.1    TDRSS Earth Station Sites

        Table 1 provides a list of TDRSS Earth Stations sites currently requiring interference
        protection. Also provided are the TDRSS satellite orbital locations currently supported by
        each Earth Station site.

              Earth Station Site                Latitude         Longitude        TDRSS Satellite
                                                (D.M.S)              (D,.M,S)   Degrees East Long.*
       Continental United States
          White Sands, New Mexico             N32 30°          W106 36‘ 37.153"         ~174
                                              18.686"
           Antenna Size— 18.3 meter                                                     —171
           Antenna Gain — 66.4 dBi                                                      ~150
           Elevation — 1456 m                                                            «19
                                                                                         —62
                                                                                         «49
                                                                                         —47
                                                                                         —41

       States
          Guam                                N13 36‘ 0"        E144 54‘ 0"              85
          Antenna Size — 11 meter                                                       ~171
          Antenna Gain — 61.9 dBi                                                       —174


                               Table 1. Existing TDRSS Earth Station Sites

         * Ephemeris data on existing TDRS spacecraft indicated in Table 1 may be found at the
         following Web sites:
         a. bttp://fdf.gsfc.nasa.gov/prod_center/pc_frame_page.htm
         Select Retrieve Other Products


‘ Should VIASAT extend operations outside of CONUS, it shall provide the same protection to
NASA‘s TDRSS Earth Stations sites around the world (such as Guam) as will be provided to the
other Station sites covered by this Agreement.



NASA Coordination Agreement                     2 of 6


           Select Retrieve 2—line Element Sets (Celestial BBS)
          Under NORAD Two—Line Element Sets, Select Current Data
          Select Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS)

          b. Obtain the NORAD orbital elements directly at:

          http://celestrak.comNORAD/elements/

          choose Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS)



    3.2     Additional TDRSS Earth Station Sites

            NASA may unilaterally add additional TDRSS earth station sites to the list in 2. 1
            above. NASA is currently planning to add a new earth station on the east coast of the
            U.S. to communicate to a new geostationary TDRS orbit position, and another earth
            station outside CONUS to communicate with an additional new geostationary TDRS
            orbit position, not yet defined. NASA will seek to provide more details on these
            additional sites and TDRS positions once they have been finalized. NASA shall
            provide VIASAT, Inc. at least two months written notice of these and/or additional sites
            which may be using the 13.40 — 14.5 GHz—band for satellite to earth data relay or of
            changes in status to the existing sites. In emergency situations, such notice may be
            significantly shorter or waived altogether.

    3.3     Earth Site Protection Limits

            The TDRSS protection limits are listed in the Table 2 below.

           Frequency Band           Interference Threshold Limit     Reference Percentage
                                    Measured at Antenna Output             of Time
          13.40 — 14.00 GHz                —176 dBW/ kHz             Never to be Exceeded
          14.00 — 14.05 GHz                —146 dBW/ MHz             Never to be Exceeded
          14.05 — 14.40 GHz                   —100 dBW               Never to be Exceeded

                                      Table 2. TDRSS Protection Limits

   For interference calculations, the TDRS spacecraft can have an inclination angle up to 15
   degrees. In calculating the interference threshold levels in Table 2, the antenna patterns in
   Figure 1 below should be used.




NASA Coordination Agreement                       3 of 6


                                          70.0
                                          60.0
                                          50.0
                    Antenna gain (dBi)
                                          40.0
                                          30.0                                                 smS 30B
                                          20.0                                                 ==Guam 3 CB

                                          10.0
                                           0.0
                                         ~10.0
                                         ~20.0
                                              0.01     0.10            1.00        10.00   100.00
                                                       Antenna off—axis angle (degraes)


                                            Figure 1. TDRS Earth Station Antenna Gain Patterns
          Note: This antenna pattern is calculated using Annex III of Appendix 8 of the
          ITU Radio Regulations, with the following modifications:
          G= 5+ 15log(DA)
          p, = 12.02 (D/2y"®
          Where Gmax and D are given in Table 1.

4.    Operational Coordination Agreement

NASA and VIASAT agree to the following:

      a. The purpose of this Coordination Agreement is to provide protection to the TDRSS
      Earth Station sites listed in Table 1 and any future TDRSS Earth Station sites.

      b. The level of protection afforded to the sites in Table 1., and any future TDRS earth
      station sites which NASA adds to Table 1 pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Agreement, shall
      be equal to or greater than the Interference Threshold Limits shown in Table 2.

4.1 This Coordination Agreement may be reviewed periodicaily by the signatories to the
agreement following commencement of service by VIASAT under an operational license from
the FCC. The purpose of the review is to assess the effectiveness of this agreement and update
this, or subordinate operational agreements, as appropriate.

4.2 Each party shall inform the other party in a timely manner of changes in the points of contact
as defined in Section 5.




NASA Coordination Agreement                                   4 of 6


 4.3 FINANCIAL OBLIGATION®S: Each party shall be responsible for funding its own
 responsibilities under this Agreement. No provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted to
 require obligation of funds in violation of the Anti—Deficiency Act 31 U.S.C § 1341.

 VIASAT agrees to:

 4.4 Monitor, control and cease transmissions from any AES that would exceed the thresholds
 given in Table 2 within line—of—sight of the sites listed in Table 1.

 4.5 Monitor, control and cease transmissions from any AES that would exceed the thresholds
 given in the Table 2 within line—of—sight of such additional sites as NASA may require.

 4.6 Respond expeditiously to a NASA request for protection of the sites listed in Section 2.1, or
 additions thereto as provided for in Section 2.2, in accordance with the threshold limits of
 Section 2.3.

 4.7 Respond expeditiously to a NASA request to isolate a source of interference to a TDRSS
 Earth Station suspected to be from an AES.

 4.8 Provide a central point of contact (on a 24 hour, 7 day basis) for interference resolution and
 other contact.

 NASA agrees to:

4.9 Maintain an open dialog with VIASAT concerning any perceived breach of interference
thresholds that may be attributable to an AES that is not in compliance with this Coordination
Agreement.

4.10 Provide timely notification to VIASAT of changes or additions to TDRSS earth station
sites, TDRS spacecraft orbital positions or interference thresholds listed in this Coordination
Agreement.

5. Assignment and Termination

5.1 This Coordination Agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective
successors and assigns.

5.2 This Coordination Agreement may be terminated by either party upon 6 months written
notice to the other.

5.3 CONTINUING OBLIGATIONS: The obligation of VIASAT to protect the NASA TDRSS
Earth Stations from interference as described in this agreement will survive termination or
expiration of this Agreement.




NASA Coordination Agreement                5 of 6


 6. Points of Contact

 6.1 Points of contact concerning this Coordination Agreement:

 Name: David P. Struba                                         Name: Bruce Poole.
 Title: Director NASA Spectrum Policy                          Title:
 Organization: NASA                                            Organization: VIASAT, Inc.
 Address: NASA Headquarters                                    Address: VIASAT, Inc.
           300 E Street SW                                               6155 El Camino Real
 Washington D.C. 20546—0001                                              Carlsbad, CA 92009—1699
 Telephone: (202) 358—4808                                               Telephone: 760—476—4820
 Facsimile: (202) 358—2865                                     Facsimile: 760—929—3941
 e—mail: David.Struba@nasa.gov                                 e—mail: bruce.poole@viasat.com


 6.2     Point of contact for technical concerns related to this Coordination Agreement:

 Name: Roger D. Porter                                         Name: Daryl T. Hunter, P.E
 Title: Goddard Spectrum Manager                               Title: Sr. Systems Engineer
 Organization: NASA                                            Organization: VIASAT, Inc.
 Address: Goddard Space Flight Center                          Address: VIASAT Inc.
           Mission Services Program Office                                6155 El Camino Real
            Greenbelt, MD 20771                                           Carisbad, CA 92009
Telephone: (301) 286—5089                                      Telephone: (760) 476—2583
Facsimile: (301) 286—1724                                      Facsimile: (760) 929—3941
e—mail: Roger.Porter@gsfe.nasa.gov                             e—mail: daryl.hunter@viasat.com

7. Signatures

This Coordination Agreement is being made in good faith by both parties and is effective on the
date on of final signature.


For: The National Aerongutics and Space                For: ViaSat Incorporated:
Administration:

                                                       ny. 247x
Name: Robert E. Spearing                              Name: Keven Lippert

Title: Associate Assistant Administrator              Title: Associate General Counsel
        For Space Communications

Date:    /fl/& 6/9(                                    Date:     /O/C; 6'/05’
          J      /




NASA Coordination Agreement



Document Created: 2007-07-18 15:50:19
Document Modified: 2007-07-18 15:50:19

© 2024 FCC.report
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FCC