Planet Labs Letter f

LETTER submitted by Planet Labs Inc.

Planet Labs Letter for DigitalGlobe Coordination

2018-12-21

This document pretains to SAT-MOD-20180918-00073 for Modification on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATMOD2018091800073_1592839

                                                                                                             Hogan Lovells US LLP
                                                                                                             Columbia Square
                                                                                                             555 Thirteenth Street, NW
                                                                                                             Washington, DC 20004
                                                                                                             T +1 202 637 5600
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                                                                                                             www.hoganlovells.com



December 21, 2018


ELECTRONIC FILING VIA IBFS
Marlene H. Dortch
Office of the Secretary
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554

Re:              DG Consents Sub, FCC File No. SAT-MOD-20180918-00073

Dear Ms. Dortch,

Planet Labs Inc. (“Planet”), by its counsel, hereby submits these comments, pursuant to 47 C.F.R. §
25.154(a), concerning the above-referenced satellite application filed by DG Consents Sub Inc.
(“DigitalGlobe”).1 DigitalGlobe proposes to operate a new satellite system constellation (“Worldview-
Legion”) comprised of twelve satellites using the same S-band and X-band frequency allocations
that Planet uses for its authorized satellite systems and associated ground stations.2 Because
coordination of the Worldview-Legion and Planet systems is necessary to mitigate the potential for
harmful interference between the two systems and the parties have not yet reached any coordination
agreement, Planet requests that the FCC include as a condition of any grant of the application that
DigitalGlobe complete coordination with Planet prior to any operations under the proposed
application. Given Planet’s demonstrated history of cooperating and successfully coordinating with
other parties, including DigitalGlobe,3 and DigitalGlobe’s acknowledgment that such coordination is
necessary,4 Planet believes that the parties can complete coordination well in advance of the
1
 The modification application appeared on public notice as accepted for filing on December 7, 2018.
See FCC Report No. SAT-01362 (Dec. 7, 2018). Planet has filed in advance of the comment
deadline in light of the upcoming holidays and potential government shutdown on December 21,
2018.
2
  Planet operates the Flock (Call Sign S2912) and Skysat (Call Sign S2862) imaging systems and
several S-band and X-band earth stations throughout the world, some of which are in close proximity
to locations DigitalGlobe intends to use for its proposed Worldview-Legion operations. For these
reasons, Planet has an interest in the DigitalGlobe application.
3
  See, e.g., DigitalGlobe, Inc. and Planet Labs Inc., Joint Letter, File No. MOD-20170713-00103
(filed Nov. 6, 2017) (evidencing the completion of coordination of Planet’s modified satellite system
with DigitalGlobe’s first-generation system); DigitalGlobe, Inc., Notice of Withdrawal, File No. SAT-
LOA-20130626-00087 (filed Sep. 16, 2013) (evidencing the completion of coordination of Planet’s
initial satellite license application with DigitalGlobe’s first-generation system); Planet Labs Inc.,
Stamp Grant, File No. SES-STA-20140212-00074, at Condition 2 (released Apr. 3, 2014)
(establishing conditions to reflect the completion of coordination with the Society of Broadcasting
Engineers).
4
 See Letter to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission from David S.
Keir, Counsel to DigitalGlobe, File No. SAT-MOD-20170713-00103, at 2; see also infra n. 7.

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Ms. Marlene H. Dortch                             -2-                               December 21, 2018




announced deployment date of the Worldview-Legion satellites in 2021.5

Planet does not oppose the application but is submitting this letter to emphasize the importance for
parties sharing frequencies to coordinate.6 The proposed new system increases the potential for
interference to Planet systems because: (1) the number of proposed Worldview-Legion satellites
more than doubles the current number of DigitalGlobe satellites; (2) the new Worldview-Legion
constellation will use an new inclined orbit (45 degrees) necessitating increased use of mid-latitude
earth stations where many of Planet’s earth stations operate; and (3) the Worldview-Legion satellites
transmit at much higher power than Planet satellites.

DigitalGlobe itself acknowledges its coordination obligation in its application7 and, in fact, recently
requested that the FCC condition grant of a Planet satellite application upon successful completion
of coordination with DigitalGlobe8—which Planet accomplished within approximately two months.
Nonetheless, despite multiple outreach efforts, commencing more than a month prior to the
DigitalGlobe application being placed on public notice, Planet and DigitalGlobe have not had any
coordination discussions or meetings.

For these reasons, Planet requests that the FCC include as a condition of any grant of the
application that DigitalGlobe complete coordination with Planet prior to any operations under the
proposed application.


                                                                Respectfully Submitted,

                                                                /s/ Tony Lin
                                                                Tony Lin
                                                                tony.lin@hoganlovells.com
                                                                D 1+ 202 637 5795

                                                                Counsel to Planet Labs Inc.




5
  See, e.g., Stephen Clark, DigitalGlobe books two launches with SpaceX for Earth-imaging fleet,
SPACEFLIGHT NOW (Mar. 28, 2018) (https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/03/28/digitalglobe-books-two-
launches-with-spacex-for-earth-imaging-fleet/) (last visited Dec. 20, 2018).
6
 See, e.g., 47 C.F.R. §25.261(b) (requiring NGSO FSS operators sharing the use of commonly
authorized frequencies to coordinate in good faith); 47 C.F.R. §25.203(h) (requiring earth station
applicants in bands with co-primary allocations to NGSO and GSO earth stations to coordinate
proposed site and frequency usage with existing earth station licensees and applicants);
DigitalGlobe, Inc., Order and Authorization, 20 FCC Rcd 15696, 15699 ⁋ 6-8 (Sat. Div., Int’l Bur.
2005) (waiving processing round rules based on DigitalGlobe’s representation, and the Commission’s
conclusion, that EESS NGSO systems “can share the same frequency bands”).
7
  See Attachment Narrative, FCC File No. SAT-MOD-20180918-00073, at I. F (“Coordination avoids
interference between WorldView Legion transmissions and those of other EESS systems operating
in the band 8025-8400 MHz [.]”).
8
 See, e.g., Letter to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission from
David S. Keir, Counsel to DigitalGlobe, File No. SAT-MOD-20170713-00103.


                                   CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

         I, Daniel Landesberg, hereby certify that on December 21, 2018, a true and correct copy of
this letter was sent via U.S. Mail, first class postage prepaid, to the following:

Libby Smith                                       Henry Gola
DG Consents Sub, Inc.                             Wiley Rein LLP
1300 W. 120th Avenue                              1776 K St., NW
Westminster, CO 80234 USA                         Washington, DC 20006
libby.smith@digitalglobe.com                      hgola@wileyrein.com

                                                  Counsel to DG Consents Sub, Inc.




                                                              /s/ Daniel Landesberg
                                                              Daniel Landesberg



Document Created: 2018-12-21 15:48:38
Document Modified: 2018-12-21 15:48:38

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