Attachment Rad. Haz. Analysis

This document pretains to SES-LIC-INTR2019-03001 for License on a Satellite Earth Station filing.

IBFS_SESLICINTR201903001_1849793

                                 Radiation Hazard Analysis
                                      Gateway Earth Station

Introduction

This analysis calculates the non-ionizing radiation levels for a SpaceX Services, Inc. (“SpaceX
Services”) gateway earth station. The calculations performed in this analysis comply with the
methods described in FCC Office of Engineering and Technology Bulletin, Number 65 (Edition
97-01) (“Bulletin 65”). This analysis demonstrates that SpaceX Services gateways are generally
compliant and will not result in exposure levels exceeding the applicable radiation hazard limits,
and any radiation hazard that may exist will be mitigated by limited access and various protocols
to ensure safe exposure levels.

Bulletin 65 and Section 1.1310 of the Commission's rules specify two separate tiers of exposure
limits: one for Occupational/Controlled Exposures and one for General Population/Uncontrolled
Exposures. Limits for Occupational/Controlled Exposures apply in situations where persons are
exposed as a consequence of their employment and are fully aware of and can control their
exposure. These limits also apply in situations where a person is transient through a location where
such limits would otherwise apply provided the person is made aware of the potential for exposure.
The limits for General Population/Uncontrolled Exposure apply in situations in which the general
public may be exposed, or in which persons that are exposed as a consequence of their employment
may not be fully aware of the potential for exposure or cannot exercise control over their exposure.
SpaceX Services will deploy its gateways in Occupational/Controlled Exposures Environments.
Accordingly, this analysis discusses only the Maximum Permissible Exposure (“MPE”) limit for
those types of exposures, which for the Ku-band frequencies used by these gateways is a power
density equal to 5 mW/cm2 averaged over a six-minute period. 1

As described in the definitional section below, this report analyzes the maximum power density
levels in the vicinity of a gateway antenna in four regions: (1) the far field, (2) the near field, (3)
near the main reflector surface, and (4) between the main reflector and the feed mouth. These
radiation regions were analyzed using the definitions and formulas in Bulletin 65 for aperture
antennas. The results of this analysis are summarized in Table 1, which identifies the potential
exposure under worst-case operating conditions.

Gateway Description

The gateway antenna is a 1.5-meter parabolic dish capable of steering its beams to track NGSO
satellites passing within its field of view. At the antenna flange, the maximum transmit power is
50W. Although unlikely in practice, for purposes of this analysis we have conservatively assumed
that the gateway can transmit at 100% duty cycle.




1
    See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1310(e).

                                                  1


Explanation of the Analysis

The “Calculated Values” in Table 1 are the exposure rates calculated using the formulae from
Bulletin 65 for a system with continuous (100% transmit duty cycle) transmission.

Results of Analysis

This analysis demonstrates that the SpaceX Services gateway is not a radiation hazard because it
does not exceed the MPE limit of 5 mW/cm2 averaged over a six-minute period in generally-
accessible areas. These gateways will be located in an area clearly marked with Radiation Hazard
signage with no access by the general public. 2 Only around the feed mouth (this measurement is
taken at a point between the feed and the sub-reflector) and at the main reflector surface are the
relevant radiation levels exceeded. Power to the transmitters will be turned off remotely whenever
work needs to be performed in either of these regions. Signage will mark the area for Radiation
Hazard and access by qualified personnel only, ensuring awareness and enhancing safety.
Consequently, there is no risk of radiation exposure beyond the acceptable limits.


Conclusion

This radiation hazard analysis demonstrates that SpaceX Services gateways will not result in
unacceptable radiation exposure levels.




2
    The near field region creates no concern for the general public as they lie behind signage where only authorized
    personnel may enter. Likewise, the far field region creates no concern for the general public because it develops
    130 meters from the antenna at a minimum elevation angle of twenty-five degrees where the general public cannot
    access. Accordingly, there is no risk of radiation exposure beyond the acceptable limits.

                                                         2


Definitions

1) Far Field Region

The far field region extends outward from the antenna surface, beginning at a distance of
0.6𝐷𝐷 2
     meters where the D is the diameter of the antenna. The maximum power density is calculated
  πœ†πœ†
using the equation recommended in Bulletin 65.

2) Near Field Region

The near field region is a volume co-incident with the direction of the main beam extending
                                                              𝐷𝐷 2
outward from the antenna surface the length of the near field 4πœ†πœ† meters.

3) Transition Region

The transition region is located between the near field region and the far field region. This region
has a power density that decreases with increasing distance. Therefore, the power density in the
transition region will be less than the maximum power density in the near field and more than the
maximum power density in the far field for the purpose of evaluating potential exposure.

4) Region Near the Antenna Surface

The power density near the antenna surface can be estimated as equal to four times the power
divided by the area of the main reflector surface (main reflector illumination is uniform).

5) Region between the Main Reflector and the Feed

The power radiated from the feed toward the reflector is conical in shape with the vertex at the
feed. The maximum power is at the feed mouth and can be estimated as four times the transmit
power divided by the area of the feed mouth.




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  TABLE 1: RADIATION FROM SPACEX SERVICES FIXED GATEWAY EARTH STATION

Input Parameters
Antenna Diameter                                                          D = 1.47 m

Frequency                                                               f = 30.0 GHz

Diameter of Feed Mouth                                              Dfeed = 1.07 cm

Max Power into Antenna                                                  Pmax = 50 W

Aperture efficiency [%]                                                   η = 41.8 %

Maximum Transmit Duty Cycle                                             DTx = 100 %


Calculated Values
                                                                             𝑐𝑐
Wavelength                                                         πœ†πœ† =         = 0.01 π‘šπ‘š
                                                                             𝑓𝑓
                                                                          πœ‹πœ‹π·π·2
Area of Reflector                                               𝐴𝐴 =            = 1.70 π‘šπ‘š2
                                                                            4
                                                                               2
                                                                          πœ‹πœ‹π·π·π‘“π‘“π‘“π‘“π‘“π‘“π‘“π‘“
Area of Feed Mouth                                       𝐴𝐴𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 =                  = 0.0001 π‘šπ‘š2
                                                                              4

                                                                     πœ‚πœ‚4πœ‹πœ‹πœ‹πœ‹
Antenna Gain                                                πΊπΊπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘š =         = 89147.8
                                                                       πœ†πœ†2
                                                             10 log(πΊπΊπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘š ) = 49.5 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

                                                                            𝐷𝐷2
Length of Near Field                                           𝑅𝑅𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 =         = 54.01 π‘šπ‘š
                                                                            4πœ†πœ†
                                                                             𝐷𝐷2
Beginning of Far Field                                      𝑅𝑅𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 0.6         = 129.65 π‘šπ‘š
                                                                              πœ†πœ†


Power Density Calculations
Power Density in Far Field                                                π‘ƒπ‘ƒπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘š πΊπΊπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘š        π‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘š
                                                      𝑆𝑆𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷                2      = 2.11
                                                                             4πœ‹πœ‹π‘…π‘…π‘“π‘“π‘“π‘“             𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐2

Power Density in Near Field                                                 4πœ‚πœ‚πœ‚πœ‚π‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘š        π‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘š
                                                        𝑆𝑆𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 = 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷                 = 4.93
                                                                               𝐴𝐴              𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐2
                                                                            4π‘ƒπ‘ƒπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘š         π‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘š
Power Density at Antenna Surface (Main Reflector)      π‘†π‘†π‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘Ÿπ‘Ÿ = 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷              = 11.78
                                                                               𝐴𝐴             𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐2
                                                                          4π‘ƒπ‘ƒπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘š             π‘šπ‘šπ‘šπ‘š
Power Density at Feed Mouth                         𝑆𝑆𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷              = 223755.7
                                                                          𝐴𝐴𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓            𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐2




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Document Created: 2019-08-28 14:57:31
Document Modified: 2019-08-28 14:57:31

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