Attachment STA Request

This document pretains to SAT-STA-20130123-00010 for Special Temporal Authority on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATSTA2013012300010_982224

Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of Application by ) ) XM RADIO LLC ) Call Sign S2786 ) For Special Temporary Authority to Operate ) XM-5 Outside its Assigned Stationkeeping Box ) REQUEST FOR SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY XM Radio LLC (“XM Radio”) respectfully requests space station special temporary authority (“STA”) for a period of five days to permit operations of the XM-5 space station slightly outside its assigned stationkeeping volume at 85.15° W.L. +/- 0.1 degrees. As discussed below, this temporary excursion is inadvertent and will not adversely affect any other authorized operations. Granting the requested STA will serve the public interest by permitting XM Radio a reasonable time in which to correct the excursion. The Commission authorized XM-5 to serve as an in-orbit spare for XM Radio’s 1 fleet of satellite digital audio radio service (“SDARS”) spacecraft. XM Radio learned yesterday that due to an error by the third party under contract to monitor XM-5 and perform stationkeeping maneuvers, XM-5 has drifted slightly beyond the western limit of its licensed 2 east-west stationkeeping allowance. The maximum amount of the excursion is 0.04 degrees. A corrective maneuver was performed yesterday, and XM-5 is expected to return to its authorized 1 See Call Sign S2786, File Nos. SAT-LOA-20090217-00025, grant-stamped Aug. 31, 2009, & SAT-MOD-20101216-00264, grant-stamped Mar. 8, 2011. 2 According to information supplied by the contractor, it appears that XM-5 first drifted outside the stationkeeping box on January 16, 2013.

stationkeeping box on January 26, 2013. XM Radio seeks STA to authorize operation of XM-5 outside the box for this brief period. Temporary operation of the XM-5 in-orbit spare satellite outside its assigned stationkeeping volume will not cause harmful interference to the operations of any other spacecraft. XM Radio operates the only satellites authorized to use either S-band or X-band frequencies located within two degrees of 85.15° W.L. XM Radio does not share S-band spectrum with other satellite systems (except its affiliate, Satellite CD Radio), and the SDARS downlink frequencies are not subject to two degree spacing rules. The temporary excursion of XM-5 also will not affect operations of XM-3, the primary operational SDARS spacecraft with which XM-5 is collocated. Nor will there be any impact on the physical operations of any other spacecraft. The closest satellite to the west of XM-5 appears to be SES-2 at 87° W.L. Even at its maximum excursion, XM-5 will be separated from the assigned stationkeeping volume of SES-2 by more than 1.6 degrees. Under these circumstances, grant of STA for this brief excursion is consistent 3 with Commission precedent and will permit XM Radio to return XM-5 to its assigned position without expending an unnecessary amount of fuel. XM Radio hereby certifies that no party to this application is subject to a denial of federal benefits pursuant to Section 5301 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, 21 U.S.C. § 862. 3 See, e.g., SES Americom, Inc. Application for Modification of Satcom SN-4 Fixed Satellite Space Station License, 20 FCC Rcd 11542, 11545 (Sat. Div. 2005) (authorizing operations in an increased east-west stationkeeping volume based on a finding that there would be no adverse effect on adjacent satellite operations). 2

For the foregoing reasons, XM Radio respectfully requests authority for temporary operations of XM-5 outside its assigned stationkeeping volume as described herein. Respectfully submitted, XM Radio LLC /s/ James S. Blitz Of Counsel James S. Blitz Karis A. Hastings Vice President, Regulatory Counsel SatCom Law LLC XM Radio LLC 1317 F Street, N.W., Suite 400 1500 Eckington Place, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20004 Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 599-0975 (202) 380-4000 Dated: January 23, 2013 3


Document Created: 2013-01-23 09:51:12
Document Modified: 2013-01-23 09:51:12
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