Attachment Narrative

This document pretains to SAT-STA-20121203-00205 for Special Temporal Authority on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATSTA2012120300205_976862

December 3, 2012 BY ELECTRONIC FILING Marlene H. Dortch Secretary Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, S.W. Washington, DC 20554 Re: Request for Special Temporary Authority for DIRECTV 1R In-Orbit Testing (Call Sign S2872) Dear Ms. Dortch: DIRECTV Enterprises, LLC (“DIRECTV”) herein requests Special Temporary Authority (“STA”) for 30 days starting December 16, 2012 to conduct in-orbit testing of the DIRECTV 1R satellite at the 55.8º E.L. orbital location in the 12.2-12.5 GHz downlink and the 17.3-17.8 GHz uplink frequencies. The testing, which is not expected to last more than a few days, will be conducted in order to verify the antenna pointing and pattern in anticipation of the start of service at 55.8° E.L. 1 As the Commission is aware, DIRECTV 1R currently is drifting to 55.8º E.L. under STA. 2 DIRECTV has a pending application to operate DIRECTV 1R as a U.S.- licensed space station at 55.8º E.L. in order to provide the Russian Satellite Communications Company (“RSCC”) continuity of service in light of the unexpected delay in RSCC’s ability to replace its aging Bonum 1 satellite that currently operates at the 56° E.L. orbital location (“Application”). 3 1 DIRECTV is seeking STA for 30 days to accommodate a potential delay in the start of testing. 2 See IBFS File Nos. SAT-STA-20120817-00138 and SAT-STA-20121109-00197. 3 See IBFS File Nos. SAT-A/O-20120817-00137, SAT-AMD-20120824-00142, and SAT- AMD-20120913-00148. 1200 18TH STREET, NW | SUITE 1200 | WASHINGTON, DC 20036 | TEL 202-730-1300 | FAX 202-730-1301 | WILTSHIREGRANNIS.COM

WILTSHIRE & GRANNIS LLP Marlene H. Dortch December 3, 2012 Page 2 of 2 DIRECTV 1R is expected to be on station at 55.8° E.L. on or about December 8, 2012. Shortly after the satellite has arrived at this location, DIRECTV seeks to conduct a short in-orbit test of the satellite’s communications frequencies in order to verify the antenna pointing and pattern. As routinely done, this testing is being coordinated with nearby operators to ensure that DIRECTV 1R’s test transmissions are compatible with their operations. In particular, the proposed testing will not cause interference into the NSS-12 satellite. In the Application proceeding, New Skies Satellites B.V. (doing business as “SES”) questioned whether the satellite’s proposed operations would be compatible with the adjacent NSS-12 satellite operated by SES. 4 SES’s interference concerns specifically relate to the NSS-12 beam covering India and the DIRECTV 1R downlink EIRP toward this area. However, as evidenced by the attached downlink EIRP contour plots, the satellite’s beams will be biased significantly to the West during testing (to communicate with an earth station located in Fucino, Italy), and thus isolation toward India will be several dB better than that associated with DIRECTV 1R’s proposed commercial operations at 55.8° E.L. Accordingly, the interference concerns raised by SES in the Application proceeding are not implicated by this request. Grant of this STA will serve the public interest because it will allow DIRECTV to verify the DIRECTV 1R antenna pointing and pattern prior to commencement of the commercial operations that are the subject of the pending Application. This, in turn, serves the public interest by ensuring continuity of service to Bonum 1 customers. For the reasons set forth herein, DIRECTV respectfully requests that the Commission grant this STA request to allow the in-orbit testing of DIRECTV 1R at 55.8º E.L. Respectfully submitted, /s/ _________________________________ William M. Wiltshire Counsel for DIRECTV Enterprises, LLC Attachments 4 See Comments of New Skies Satellites B.V., IBFS File Nos. SAT-A/O-20120817-00137, SAT-AMD-20120824-00142, and SAT-AMD-20120913-00148 (filed Oct. 31, 2012).

DOWNLINK EIRP CONTOUR PLOT EAST ANTENNA Beam Polarization: Right and left Hand Circular

DOWNLINK EIRP CONTOUR PLOT WEST ANTENNA Beam Polarization: Right and Left Hand Circular


Document Created: 2019-04-17 07:59:25
Document Modified: 2019-04-17 07:59:25
© 2024 FCC.report
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FCC