Attachment DA 05 1405

DA 05 1405

DECISION submitted by FCC,IB

DA 05 1405

2005-05-19

This document pretains to SAT-MOD-20050421-00087 for Modification on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATMOD2005042100087_434095

Federal Communications Commission Washington, DC 20554 inomatonalBreou pa 05— 1405 May 19, 2005 David K. Moskowitz, Esg. Executive Vice President & General Counsel EchoSarStelite LLC. 9601 South Meridian Boulevard Englewood, CO 80112 Re: EchoStar Satelite LL.C: Notice of Modlification of DBS Space Station Authorization for the 61.5° W.L. Orbital Location, IBFS File No. SAT—MOD—20050421—00087; Request for Special Temporary Authoriy, IBFS File No. SAT—STA—20050421— cooss Dear Mr. Moskowitz On April 21, 2005, EchoStar Satelite L.LC. (EchoStar)filed a modification application pursuant to ou streamlined fleet management procedures requesting authorityt relocate is Direct Broadeast Satelite (DBS) satelite EchoStar 4 from the 157° W . orbilocation to the 61.5° W.L. orbit location." It also filed a request for specialtemporary authority (STA) to relocate EchoStar 4 from 157° W.L. o 61.5° WL (61.5° STA)." For the reasons seforth below, we deny the 61.5° Flect Management Modification and deny the 61.5° STA Request In it 61.5° Fleet Management Modification, EchoStar notesthatit has two pending STA requests to relocate the EchoStar 4 satellte. One requests an STA to relocate EchoStar 4 to the 77° WL. orbit Tocation for 180 days (77° STA)." The other requests an STA to move EchoStar 4 to 61.5° W.L. pending Commission action on the 77° STA Request. Ultimately, EchoStar states t intends to operate the EchoStar 4 satelite at the 77° WL. orbit location under a Mexican Broadcast Satelite Service (BSS) authorization granted to QuetzSat, an entit lcensed by the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation ofthe United Mexican Sttes. EchoStar states that EchoStar 4 must be atthe 77° WL. orbit location by July 1, 2005 to satisty the Itermational Telecommunication Union‘s (TU)bringing~ into—use date for the Mexican authorization* ‘ EchoSur Stelite LLC. IBFS Fil No. SAT—MOD—20050#21—00087("61.5° leer Managemment Modfcation") * EchoStr Satelite LLC,IBFS Fie No. SAT—STA—20050421—00088 (613° STA Reques). EchoSuar requests the $TA for 30 days, which does notrequirea public notice 47 CR § 25.1200)@4) * EchoStr Saelite LLC. IBFS File No. SAT—STA—20080321—00068 (77° STA Request). This application was placed on Public Notiee on Apri22, 2005. See Public Notie, Plicy Branch nformation, Report No. SAT—00286 (April 22, 2005) *61.5°STA Request at2.

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION DA 05—1405 "The Commission adopted fleet management procedures t stramlinethe processing of satllte fleet management modifications.® The procedures adopted under Section 25.1 18(e)ofthe Commission‘s rules allow satelite operatorsto rearrange satelftes in their fleets among their assigned orbitl lcations to reflect business and customer considertions where no other public intrest factors are adversely ® Accordingly, a space station operator may modify is license to this end without prior ion, but upon 30 das noticeto the Commission and any potentilly affected licensed spectrum user." To ensure thatthe strearilined procedure is used only in the appropriate circumstances,the Commission requires operators to certfy thatit meets nine specific requirements In it61.5° Fleet Management Modification, EchoStar included these certfations. EchoStar, however,also stitesthat if we grantits 77° STA Request prir t EchoStar 4 satelite‘s arivalatthe 61.5° W L. orbi lcation, EchoStar "would immediately redirect the satelfit to 77° W.L. and forgo the feet management mancuver". We find that his statement contradics its fleet management cetiications, and brings the appliction outside the scope of Section 25.1 18(e). Specifically, the satementthat it will "forgo the fleet management maneuver" contrasts with ts certfications that it "will relocate BchoStar 4" to 61.5° W.L. and thatit "will Timit operation of the space station to Tracking, Telemety, and Control" functions duringthe relocation." In sum, EchoStar is using the 61.5° Fleet Management Modification as a mechanism to allow it to begin to drit EchoStar 4 toward 77° WL. an unsuthorized location, prior to the Commission‘s consideration ofthe 77° STA Request and the opportunity for public comment. This modification is inconsistent with the rationale underlying the Commission‘s flet management procedures. We therefore deny the modification We also find that EchoStar has not jutiied a grant ofspecial temporary authorit to relocate EchoStar 4 to 61.5° W.L. The Communications Act authorizes the Commission to grant temporary authority in extraordinary circumstances where such temporary operations ar in the public interest and where delay in operation would prejudicethe public interest" Similarly, the Commission‘s rules governing satelite faciities permit grants of specialtemporary authority, for a period not to exceed 180 days, under extraordinary circumstances* A requestfor special temporary authority must containthe full particulars of the proposed operation,including all fctssufficient t jusify the temporary authority sought and the public inerest therein.When determining whether to grant an STA, "convenience to the * Amendment ofthe Commissin‘s Space Station LicensingRulesand Polices, Second Report and Order, 18 FCC Red 12507, 97 (Fleet Management Order) * Flet Management Order at 37 " Flet Management Onder t 39 ‘arorR52s 11800—0 "1.5° Fleet Management Modfcation t 2 "*61.5° Flees Management Modifcation t 3, 4 "aruse.s3m0 "aCrR 525120

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION DA o5—1405 applicant, such as marketing considerations or mesting scheduled customerin—service dates, will not be deemed sufficient fothis purpose."" EchoStar‘s 61.5° STA request notes that it has file the 61.5° Flect Management Modification, butclaims that grant of the STA will permit EchoStar "more quickly"to place EchoStar 4 in a "position closer to 77° W.L""* It also states thatthetimely relocation and operation of EchoSta 4 to the 77° W.L. orbitlocation prior to July 1, 2005 willhelp failtte the bringing—intouse ofthe Mexican authorization." These do not constitute extraordinary circumstances, but rather are for the convenience of EchoStar in moving the satelite to the 77°W.L. orbit location.In addition, the Commission has indicated that preserving TTU date priorty is not a public interes factor thatit will consider when evaluating applications.". Accordingly,we deny EchoStar‘s STA request to move EchoStar 4 to 61.5° w1 Please contact Alyssa Roberts of my staff, (202) 418:7276 or Roberts@fee.gov, if you have any questions. Sincerely, \f&&mfl/.z_ S.T\qaé( Thomas S. Tycz Chief, Satellite Division International Bureau ec: Pantelis Michalopoutos Philip L. Malet Steptoe & Johnson, LLP 1330 Connecticut Avene, N.W. Washington, DC 20036 ®a1crR425120 "*61.5° STA Request 2. ®u !* See VisionStar Incorporated, Memorandian Opinion and Order, 19 FCC Red 14820, 14824 C Bur, 2004


Document Created: 2005-05-26 10:57:14
Document Modified: 2005-05-26 10:57:14
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