Attachment 2014Planet Labs bond

2014Planet Labs bond

DECISION submitted by IB, FCC

Grant bond extension

2014-08-11

This document pretains to SAT-MOD-20140321-00032 for Modification on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATMOD2014032100032_1121133

                                                                               PILING DEADLNE *
                                                          * ExTENSION oOF Bono
                                                                                                                   ?
                                                                                  File # sovtmop— 201403 2\1—Oo062

                                                                                  Call Sign _S2N2.. Grant Datc_fil_fl_l_l_"‘_
 July 15, 2014
                                                                                  (or other identifier)
                                                                                                          Torm Dates
                                                 i_       usp                     From O8/§/14                  to. O8/g /14
 Ms. Marlene H. Dortch
                                                  |__[U"C *“*;:"“ _|                  Approvea:
                                                                                  A      erser d.
 Federal Communications Commission
                                                 !    4   ,.’ .’   ,“ eat Rnres
 Secretary


 445 12" Street, SW                               *5ee atachmen
 Washington, DC 20554

 Subject:         Bond extension request, File No. SAT—MOD—20140321—00032, Call Sign $2912

 Dear Ms. Dortch:

        Planet Labs Inc. ("Planet Labs"), hereby requests a waiver to extend by 90 days the
 deadline to post a bond, as specified in Paragraph 8 in the Planet Labs Mod, released on June 18,
 2014.‘ Under that paragraph, Planet Labs is required to post a bond of $5,000,000 by July 18,
 2014 to secure the launch and operation of all of the authorized Planet Labs satellites by June 18,
 2020. The Planet Labs Mod authorized an additional 28 Earth Exploration Satellite Service
 ("EESS") satellites operating in an altitude between 380 and 410 km, and an additional 11 EESS
 satellites operating in an altitude of 620 km. As the Commission is aware, 11 satellites
 {collectively known as "Flock 1¢c") were launched into a 620 km orbit and brought into operation
 on June 19, 2014. In addition, the 28 satellites (collectively known as "Flock 1b"), were
 successfully launched on July 13, 2014 and are currently awaiting deployment from the
 International Space Station ("ISS"), which is scheduled to occur within 90 days of the bond
 posting deadline of July 18, 2014. Because the primary purpose of the bond (to secure launch and
 operation of the Planet Labs EESS satellites) is expected to be satisfied within such a short time
 period of the bond posting deadline, grant of the requested extension will not undermine the
 underlying purpose of the bond requirement and is consistent with Commission precedent.

        Background. The Commission granted Planet Labs the above—referenced Modification with
 conditions on June 18, 2014. Paragraph 8 of the Planet Labs Mod Attachment to Gant requires
 that Planet Labs meets the following five satellite implementation milestones:

          e   Enter into a binding non—contingent contract to construct the licensed satellite system
              by June 18, 2015;
              Complete Critical Design Review by June 18, 2016;
              Begin construction of the first satellite by December 18, 2016;
              Launch and begin operation of the first satellite by December 18, 2017;
              Bring all of the authorized satellites into operation by June 18, 2020.

 In addition, Paragraph 9 of the Attachment to Grant also mandates that Planet Labs file a $5
 raillion bond with the Commission within 30 days of the grant date, i.e. by July 18, 2014, pursuant
 to procedures established by the Commussion.



‘ See Planet Labs Inc., Stamp Grant in File No. SAT—MOD—20140321—00032 (released June 18, 2014, "Planet Labs
Mod").


                                        Attachment to Grant
                                          Planet Labs, Inc.
                          IBFS File No. SAT—MOD—20140321—00032


The request of Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet Labs) for an additional 30—day extension of the
deadline, from August 18, 2014 through September 18, 2014, to file a bond in the amount
of $5,000,000 for its 39—satellite Flock 1b & Flock 1c non—geostationary orbit (NGSO)
Earth Exploration Satellite Service (EESS) constellation, Call Sign $2912, is granted.‘
Eleven satellites — collectively known as "Flock 1¢c" — were launched into a 620 km orbit and
brought into operation on June 19, 2014. In addition, 28 satellites — collectively known as
"Flock 1b" — were successfully launched on July 13, 2014 and are currently awaiting
deployment from the International Space Station (ISS), between August 11 and September 5,
2014. Under these circumstances, we find that a brief extension of the deadline to file a
bond for Call Sign $912 is warranted.          _




                                                               OF Bowp FILING DEeanLinNe *
                                                              File #_SAr—Mon — 2014032 1—00033.

                                                              Call Sign 523 [ 2, Grant Date Qg‘ U( l ‘_’:‘
                                                              (or other identifier)
                                                                                      Term Dates
                                                              From     gl 1# ‘ li           _QiLL&LEL-
                                          GRANTED®
                                      Iiternational Bureau [Approved:

                                     ¥see above




‘ Planet Labs requested a 90—day extension of the bond posting deadline, but subsequently revised the
request to 30 days. See email from Mike Safyan to Stephen Duall, dated July 18, 2014.


From: Mike Safyan [mailto:mike@planet.com]
Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2014 12:58 AM
To: Cassandra Thomas; Andrea Kelly; William Bell; Stephen Duall
Subject: 2nd Bond Extension Request (SAT—MOD—20140321—00032)

Dear Stephen,
I would like to request a further 30—day extension of the bond posting deadline concerning File No. SAT—
MOD—20140321—00032. We have received notice from NASA regarding the deployment schedule for the
28 Flock 1b satellites, which is now scheduled to begin with the first deployment on August 19, 2014 and
the last deployment scheduled on September 5, 2014. By granting Planet Labs a further 30—day extension
to the currently standing deadline, we will have completed all 5 bond milestones attached to File No.
SAT—MOD—20140321—00032 before the newly proposed deadline, thus rendering moot the need to post a
bond.

Best Regards,
Mike Safyan
Planet Labs Inc.


         Grant ofan Extension is Warranted. As of July13, 2014, all of the authorized Planet Labs
 satellites have been successfully launched, and presently the last 28 satellites are awaiting
 deployment from the ISS. Assuming no anomalies occur in the loading, scheduling and
 deployment of the satellites, Planet Labs expects the final 28 satellites to be deployed into the
 authorized orbit and brought into operation within 90 days of the bond posting deadline of July
 18, 2014. A declaration attesting to these facts and the planned commencement of operations of
 the final 28 Planet Labs satellites is attached hereto as Annex 1.

       Thus, Planet Labs will shortly be able to satisfy all 5 milestone requirements to commence
 operations of all the authorized Planet Labs satellites, rendering moot the need to submit a bond.
 Additionally, because the Planet Labs satellites have already been launched and are scheduled to
 begin service shortly, grant of the brief extension request would not undermine the underlying
 purposes of the bond requirement to "help deter speculative satellite applications and help
 expedite provision of service to the public.‘" The Commission has granted similar extension
 requests in the past." For the reasons set forth above, Planet Labs respectfully requests the FCC
 grant this request for a 90—day extension of the deadline to post a bond, as specified in the Planet
 Labs Mod.

 If you require additional information, please contact the undersigned by telephone at (415) $29—3313, or
 by email at mike@planet.com.




                                                     Sincerely,

                                                    PLANET LABS INC.

                                                    By:      s/ Michael Safyan
                                                          Michael Safyan
                                                          Regulatory Compliance
                                                          Planet Labs Inc.


ce:     Robert Nelson
        Karl Kensinger
        Stephen Duall
        Sankar Persaud




* See Amendment ofthe Commission‘s Space Station Licensing Rules and Policies, 18 FCC Red 10760, [ 167 (2003).
* See, e.g., Stamp Grant, New Skies Satellites B.V., Request for Extension of Time, File No. SAT—PPL—20110620—
00112 (granted April 4, 2012); Stamp Grant, Intelsat North America LLC, Request for Extensoin of Time, File No.
SAT—LOA—20100726—00167 (granted December 16, 2010).


                                            ANNEX 1
                            DECLARATION OF MICHAEL SAFYAN
       I, Michael Safyan, Regulatory Compliance, hereby certify under penalty of perjury that the
following is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief:
       All 11 Flock 1¢ satellites have been launched and brought into operation on June 19, 2014.
All 28 Flock 1b satellites have been launched on July 13, 2014 and are currently awaiting
deployment from the International Space Station (ISS). Deployment of all 28 Flock 1b satellites,
assuming no anomalies occur in the loading, scheduling and deployment sequence, is expected to
occur within 90 days of July 18, 2014.


                                                            Signed:


                                                            s/ Michael Safyan
                                                            Michael Safyan
                                                            Regulatory Compliance
                                                            Planet Labs Inc.


                                                            July 15, 2014



Document Created: 2016-01-08 15:37:56
Document Modified: 2016-01-08 15:37:56

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