2015-02-05 TMG Yazmi

SUPPLEMENT submitted by Yazmi USA, LLC

Supplemental Letter

2015-02-05

This document pretains to SAT-MOD-20141212-00129 for Modification on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATMOD2014121200129_1076084

                                             	
  
Telecommunications Management Group, Inc.
                                                                           	
  
                                                                                                             February	
  5,	
  2015	
  
                                                                           	
  
Ms.	
  Marlene	
  H.	
  Dortch	
  
Secretary	
  
Federal	
  Communications	
  Commission	
  
445	
  Twelfth	
  Street,	
  S.W.	
  
Washington,	
  DC	
  20554	
  
	
  
	
          	
        	
               Re:	
  	
  	
   Application	
  of	
  Yazmi	
  USA,	
  LLC	
  
	
          	
        	
               	
              For	
  Modification	
  of	
  License	
  for	
  Call	
  Sign	
  S2367	
  
	
          	
        	
               	
              File	
  No.	
  SAT-­‐MOD-­‐20141212-­‐00129	
  
	
  
Dear	
  Ms.	
  Dortch:	
  
	
  
	
          Yazmi	
  USA,	
  LLC	
  (“Yazmi”),	
  by	
  its	
  attorneys,	
  hereby	
  provides	
  information	
  
supplemental	
  to	
  the	
  above-­‐referenced	
  modification	
  of	
  license	
  application	
  for	
  Call	
  
Sign	
  S2367	
  in	
  response	
  to	
  a	
  request	
  received	
  telephonically	
  from	
  the	
  Commission’s	
  
International	
  Bureau.	
  	
  	
  
	
  
            The	
  Bureau	
  requested	
  information	
  in	
  eight	
  areas	
  from	
  Yazmi.	
  	
  Yazmi’s	
  
responses	
  are	
  provided	
  below:	
  
	
  
1. Estimated	
  Fuel	
  Life	
  of	
  AfriStar-­‐1:	
  
            	
  
     Afristar-­‐1	
  was	
  launched	
  in	
  October	
  1998,	
  with	
  an	
  estimated	
  fuel	
  life	
  of	
  15	
  years.	
  	
  
     Yazmi	
  estimates	
  that	
  the	
  current	
  end-­‐of-­‐fuel	
  life	
  for	
  AfriStar-­‐1	
  is	
  approximately	
  
     nine	
  months	
  (assuming	
  no	
  additional	
  inclined-­‐orbit	
  operation),	
  with	
  sufficient	
  
     reserve	
  fuel	
  to	
  de-­‐orbit	
  the	
  spacecraft	
  in	
  the	
  manner	
  identified	
  in	
  the	
  
     modification	
  of	
  license	
  application	
  for	
  Call	
  Sign	
  S2367.	
  	
  	
  
     	
  
2. Estimated	
  Service	
  Life,	
  if	
  Different:	
  
     	
  
     In	
  Exhibit	
  A	
  to	
  its	
  above-­‐reference	
  modification	
  of	
  license	
  application	
  for	
  Call	
  
     Sign	
  S2367,	
  Yazmi	
  stated	
  that	
  the	
  useful	
  life	
  of	
  AfriStar-­‐1	
  will	
  end	
  in	
  April	
  2021.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
     The	
  service	
  life	
  of	
  AfriStar-­‐1	
  is	
  thus	
  estimated	
  to	
  continue	
  until	
  April	
  2021.	
  	
  The	
  
     difference	
  between	
  the	
  estimated	
  fuel	
  life	
  and	
  estimated	
  service/useful	
  life	
  of	
  
     AfriStar-­‐1	
  is	
  attributable	
  to	
  Yazmi’s	
  expectation	
  that	
  it	
  will	
  discontinue	
  current	
  
     north-­‐south	
  station	
  keeping	
  on	
  AfriStar-­‐1	
  in	
  March	
  2015.	
  	
  In	
  making	
  this	
  service-­‐
     life	
  estimate,	
  Yazmi	
  will	
  maintain	
  sufficient	
  reserve	
  fuel	
  to	
  de-­‐orbit	
  the	
  satellite	
  
     in	
  the	
  manner	
  identified	
  in	
  the	
  modification	
  of	
  license	
  application	
  for	
  Call	
  Sign	
  
     S2367.	
  
                   1600 Wilson Boulevard | Suite 710 | Arlington | Virginia | 22209 | USA
                   TEL. +1.703.224.1501 | FAX. +1.703.224.1511 | www.tmgtelecom.com
	
  


Ms.	
  Marlene	
  H.	
  Dortch	
  
Secretary,	
  FCC	
  
February	
  5,	
  2015	
  
Page	
  2	
  of	
  4	
  
	
  
	
  
     	
  
3. Is	
  Movement	
  to	
  Another	
  Satellite	
  Orbit	
  Expected?:	
  
     	
  
     Yazmi	
  has	
  no	
  current	
  plans	
  or	
  proposals	
  to	
  relocate	
  AfriStar-­‐1	
  from	
  its	
  current	
  
     orbital	
  position	
  at	
  21°	
  East	
  Longitude	
  ("E.L.").	
  	
  As	
  Yazmi	
  reported	
  in	
  Exhibit	
  A	
  to	
  
     its	
  above-­‐reference	
  modification	
  of	
  license	
  application	
  for	
  Call	
  Sign	
  S2367,	
  Yazmi	
  
     intends	
  to	
  	
  permanently	
  discontinue	
  north-­‐south	
  station	
  keeping	
  for	
  AfriStar-­‐1	
  
     at	
  the	
  end	
  of	
  March,	
  2015,	
  thereby	
  extending	
  the	
  satellite’s	
  useful	
  life	
  through	
  
     April	
  2021.	
  	
  The	
  satellite	
  is	
  currently	
  maintained	
  at	
  1.7	
  degrees	
  of	
  inclination	
  
     following	
  a	
  prior	
  suspension	
  of	
  north-­‐south	
  station	
  keeping	
  from	
  June	
  2012	
  to	
  
     July	
  2014.	
  	
  See	
  Response	
  No.	
  6,	
  below.	
  	
  Yazmi	
  will	
  provide	
  the	
  Commission	
  notice	
  
     of	
  the	
  planned	
  new	
  station-­‐keeping	
  change	
  in	
  the	
  manner	
  specified	
  in	
  Section	
  
     25.280	
  of	
  the	
  Commission’s	
  Rules	
  at	
  the	
  appropriate	
  time.	
  
     	
  
4. Has	
  there	
  been	
  any	
  failure	
  on	
  the	
  satellite	
  during	
  its	
  term	
  of	
  operation?:	
  	
  
     	
  
     AfriStar-­‐1	
  was	
  launched	
  with	
  a	
  manufacturing	
  defect	
  in	
  its	
  solar	
  panels,	
  resulting	
  
     in	
  the	
  panels	
  collecting	
  less	
  power	
  than	
  intended.	
  	
  	
  
     	
  
     Aside	
  from	
  the	
  solar	
  array	
  degradation,	
  which	
  is	
  accounted	
  for	
  in	
  the	
  service-­‐life	
  
     estimate	
  above,	
  the	
  satellite	
  has	
  experienced	
  the	
  following	
  two	
  equipment	
  
     failures:	
  
	
  
     1. One	
  of	
  the	
  satellite	
  thrusters	
  has	
  developed	
  seepage	
  and	
  is	
  no	
  longer	
  in	
  use.	
  	
  
            The	
  satellite	
  is	
  being	
  operated	
  under	
  the	
  redundant	
  thruster	
  configuration.	
  
	
  
     2. An	
  infrared	
  earth	
  sensor	
  has	
  failed,	
  and	
  the	
  redundant	
  unit	
  is	
  in	
  use.	
  
	
  
     As	
  both	
  equipment	
  failures	
  have	
  been	
  mitigated,	
  the	
  satellite	
  subsystems	
  remain	
  
     fully	
  functional.	
  	
  	
  
     	
  
     There	
  has	
  been	
  no	
  failure	
  of	
  the	
  satellite	
  during	
  its	
  term	
  of	
  operation.	
  
     	
  
5. What	
  is	
  the	
  cumulative	
  solar	
  array	
  power	
  performance?	
  	
  	
  
     	
  
     From	
  the	
  first	
  summer	
  solstice	
  after	
  launch,	
  i.e.,	
  June	
  1999,	
  until	
  June	
  2014,	
  the	
  
     available	
  solar	
  array	
  power	
  has	
  decreased	
  from	
  an	
  estimated	
  5,200W	
  to	
  
     approximately	
  4,200W.	
  	
  	
  
	
  
     From	
  June	
  2013	
  to	
  June	
  2014,	
  the	
  available	
  solar	
  array	
  power	
  has	
  reduced	
  from	
  
     4,235W	
  to	
  4,207W,	
  i.e.,	
  0.66%	
  ~	
  1%.	
  
     	
  


Ms.	
  Marlene	
  H.	
  Dortch	
  
Secretary,	
  FCC	
  
February	
  5,	
  2015	
  
Page	
  3	
  of	
  4	
  
	
  
	
  
6. What	
  is	
  the	
  different	
  in	
  calculation	
  in	
  the	
  current	
  application	
  from	
  the	
  2008	
  
     modification?	
  	
  	
  Have	
  there	
  been	
  any	
  changes	
  in	
  the	
  propellant	
  or	
  in	
  the	
  orbital	
  
     degree?	
  	
  
	
  
     In	
  reviewing	
  the	
  2008	
  and	
  2014	
  modification	
  of	
  applications	
  (File	
  Nos.	
  SAT-­‐
     MOD-­‐20080204-­‐00036	
  and	
  SAT-­‐MOD-­‐20141212-­‐00129,	
  respectively),	
  Yazmi	
  
     noticed	
  a	
  common	
  error	
  in	
  both	
  calculations.	
  	
  Specifically,	
  although	
  Yazmi	
  used	
  
     the	
  same	
  formula	
  in	
  each	
  calculation,	
  the	
  “mass”	
  parameter	
  in	
  the	
  formula	
  was	
  
     incorrect	
  in	
  both	
  instances.	
  	
  
	
  
     In	
  the	
  2008	
  modification	
  of	
  license	
  application,	
  the	
  mass	
  parameter	
  was	
  stated	
  
     as	
  being	
  1250	
  kg,	
  and	
  in	
  the	
  above-­‐referenced	
  2014	
  modification	
  of	
  license	
  
     application	
  it	
  is	
  stated	
  as	
  being	
  1279	
  kg.	
  	
  The	
  correct	
  mass	
  parameter	
  to	
  apply	
  in	
  
     both	
  cases	
  was	
  the	
  dry	
  mass	
  of	
  the	
  satellite	
  as	
  given	
  by	
  the	
  satellite	
  
     manufacturer,	
  namely	
  1209.93	
  kg.	
  
	
  
     When	
  the	
  correct	
  “mass”	
  parameter	
  is	
  inserted	
  into	
  the	
  formula,	
  the	
  minimum	
  
     increase	
  in	
  de-­‐orbiting	
  altitude	
  becomes	
  291.6	
  km,	
  and	
  the	
  final	
  disposal	
  altitude	
  
     as	
  per	
  Section	
  25.283	
  of	
  the	
  Commission’s	
  Rules	
  shall	
  be	
  36,021	
  km	
  +	
  291.6	
  km	
  
     =	
  	
  36,312.6	
  km.	
  	
  Yazmi	
  estimates	
  the	
  amount	
  of	
  propellant	
  kept	
  in	
  reserve	
  (~6	
  
     kg)	
  would	
  allow	
  the	
  de-­‐orbiting	
  altitude	
  to	
  exceed	
  the	
  computed	
  minimum.	
  
	
  
     As	
  of	
  this	
  date,	
  AfriStar-­‐1	
  is	
  stationkept	
  to	
  the	
  parameters	
  (both	
  east-­‐west	
  and	
  
     north-­‐south)	
  in	
  its	
  authorization.	
  	
  From	
  June	
  2012	
  until	
  July	
  2014,	
  Yazmi	
  
     suspended	
  north-­‐south	
  station	
  keeping	
  on	
  AfriStar-­‐1,	
  which	
  resulted	
  in	
  a	
  current	
  
     spacecraft	
  inclination	
  of	
  1.7	
  degrees.	
  	
  Station	
  keeping	
  in	
  the	
  north-­‐south	
  
     direction	
  was	
  resumed	
  on	
  July	
  6,	
  2014.	
  	
  As	
  noted	
  above,	
  Yazmi	
  intends	
  to	
  again	
  
     cease	
  north-­‐south	
  station	
  keeping	
  for	
  AfriStar-­‐1	
  at	
  the	
  end	
  of	
  March,	
  2015,	
  and	
  
     will	
  provide	
  the	
  Commission	
  notice	
  of	
  this	
  change	
  in	
  the	
  manner	
  specified	
  in	
  
     Section	
  25.280	
  of	
  the	
  Commission’s	
  Rules	
  at	
  the	
  appropriate	
  time.	
  
     	
  	
  
7. The	
  application	
  states	
  that	
  Yazmi	
  is	
  using	
  Intelsat	
  for	
  its	
  TTC.	
  	
  Are	
  they	
  
     transmitting	
  from	
  US	
  earth	
  stations?	
  	
  If	
  so,	
  to	
  include	
  the	
  call	
  signs	
  for	
  those.	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
	
  
     In	
  Exhibit	
  A	
  to	
  its	
  above-­‐reference	
  modification	
  of	
  license	
  application	
  for	
  Call	
  
     Sign	
  S2367,	
  Yazmi	
  stated	
  that	
  TT&C	
  transmissions	
  to	
  AfriStar-­‐1	
  originate	
  from	
  
     Intelsat’s	
  East	
  Coast	
  Operations	
  Center	
  in	
  Tysons	
  Corner,	
  Virginia,	
  and	
  from	
  the	
  
     redundant	
  Intelsat	
  West	
  Coast	
  Operations	
  Center	
  in	
  Long	
  Beach,	
  California.	
  	
  The	
  
     actual	
  earth	
  stations	
  used	
  to	
  make	
  the	
  TT&C	
  transmissions	
  are	
  located	
  in	
  
     Mauritius	
  and	
  Bangalore,	
  India,	
  respectively.	
  	
  The	
  earth	
  stations	
  are	
  operated	
  
     remotely	
  by	
  Intelsat	
  from	
  its	
  U.S.	
  operations	
  centers.	
  
	
  


Ms.	
  Marlene	
  H.	
  Dortch	
  
Secretary,	
  FCC	
  
February	
  5,	
  2015	
  
Page	
  4	
  of	
  4	
  
	
  
	
  
8. 	
  Is	
  Noah	
  Samara	
  the	
  sole	
  owner	
  of	
  the	
  Afristar	
  satellite?	
  
	
  
     No.	
  	
  Mr.	
  Samara	
  owns	
  99%	
  of	
  Yazmi.	
  	
  The	
  remaining	
  1%	
  is	
  owned	
  equally	
  by	
  
     Eyob	
  Samara	
  and	
  Rahel	
  Samara,	
  both	
  of	
  whom	
  are	
  U.S.	
  citizens.	
  
     	
  
	
  
	
           Please	
  direct	
  any	
  questions	
  you	
  may	
  have	
  on	
  the	
  answers	
  provided	
  above	
  to	
  
me.	
  
	
  
	
           	
          	
       	
        	
         	
            Respectfully	
  submitted,	
  
	
  




                                                                                              	
  
	
  
	
            	
        	
         	
     	
        	
           Janet	
  Hernandez	
  
	
            	
        	
         	
     	
        	
           Counsel	
  for	
  Yazmi	
  USA,	
  LLC	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
cc:	
  	
  Clay	
  DeCell,	
  International	
  Bureau	
  (by	
  email)	
  



Document Created: 0610-04-18 00:00:00
Document Modified: 0610-04-18 00:00:00

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