Attachment SES-STA-20190516-006

SES-STA-20190516-006

DECISION submitted by FCC

Grant

0000-00-00

This document pretains to SES-STA-20190516-00667 for Special Temporal Authority on a Satellite Earth Station filing.

IBFS_SESSTA2019051600667_1834873

                                                             SESSTA20190516O667
                                                                                  182019001565
                                               KL92
                                               Intelsat License LLC




                                                                                                                          Approved by 0MB
                                                                                                                                 3060—0678

                               APPLICATION FOR EARTH STATION SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY



APPLICANT INFORMATIONEnter a description of this application to identify it on the main mentt:
180—day STA To Use Castle Rock, Colorado Earth Station KL92 to Provide LEOP and TT&C Services for the Eutelsat—7C
    1. Applicant

              Name:        Intelsat License LLC                Phone Number:                     703—559—7848
              DBA Name:                                        Fax Number:                       703—559—8539
              Street:      do Intelsat US LLC                  E—Mail:                           susan.crandall@inteIsat.com
                           7900 Tysons One Place
              City:        McLean                              State:                            VA
              Country:     USA                                 Zipcode:                          22102        —5972
              Attention:   Susan H. Crandall




                                                                                  7i
                                                               File # s5T0t%”

                                                                Call SIEn_kL9’%Grant Date______
                                                                (or other identifier)
                                                                               Ic Dates
                                                                From:______ ,‘yro:_______
                                          GRANTED
                                        International Bureau    Approved:   %€J’?
1


    2. Contact

                 Name:         Cynthia J. Grady                       Phone Number:                         703—559—6949
                 Company:      Intelsat US LLC                        Fax Number:                           703—559—8539
                 Street:       7900 Tysons One Place                  E—Mail:                               cynthia.grady@intelsat.com


                 City:         McLean                                 State:                                VA
                 Country:      USA                                    Zipeode:                              22102       —5972
                 Attention:                                           Relationship:                         Legal Counsel


    (If your application is related to an application filed with the Commission, enter either the file number or the TB Submission ID of the related
    application. Please enter only one.)
     3. Reference File Number or Submission ID
        4a. Is a fee submitted with this application?
         If Yes, complete and attach FCC Form 159.        If No, indicate reason for fee exemption (see 47 C.f.R.Section 1.1114).
    •
         Governmental Entity            Noncoinmercial educational licensee
         Other(please explain):

    4b. Fee Classification    CGX   —   Fixed Satellite Transmit/Receive Earth Station
    5. Type Request


         Use Prior to Grant                                  Change Station Location                          Other
    0                                                    0

    6. Requested Use Prior Date


    7. CityCastle Rock                                                           8. Latitude
                                                                                 (dd mm ss.s h)   39   16    38.0   N



2


    9. State   CO                                                               10. Longitude
                                                                                (dd mm ss.s h)    104   4$    26.9   W
    1 1. Please supply any need attachments.
    Attachment 1: STA Request                         Attachment 2: Exhibit A                            Attachment 3: Exhibit B


    12. Description.   (If the complete description does not appear in this box, please go to the end of the form to view it in its entirety.)
         Intelsat License LLC herein requests a grant of Special Temporary Authority for 180 days,
         commencing upon grant, to use its Castle Rock, Colorado Ku-band earth station (Call Sign
         KL92) to provide launch and early orbit phase service for Eutelsat—7C, and telemetry,
         tracking,      and command services during in-orbit testing and drifting of the satellite to




    13. By checking Yes, the undersigned certifies that neither applicant nor any other party to the application is               Yes            No
    subject to a denial of Federal benefits that includes FCC benefits pursuant to Section 5301 of the Anti—Drug Act
    of 1988, 21 U.S.C. Section 862, because of a conviction for possession or distribution of a controlled substance.
    See 47 CFR 1.2002(b) for the meaning of "party to the application" for these purposes.


    14. Name of Person Signing                                                  15. Title of Person Signing
      Cynthia J. Grady                                                             Senior Counsel, Intelsat US LLC
               WILLFUL FALSE STATEMENTS MADE ON THIS FORM ARE PUNISHABLE BY FINE AND I OR IMPRISONMENT
                      (U.S. Code, Title 1$, Section 1 001), AND/OR REVOCATION OF ANY STATION AUTHORIZATION
                       (U.S. Code, Title 47, Section 312(a)(1)), AND/OR FORFEITURE (U.S. Code, Title 47, Section 503).




3


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4


12. Description

Intelsat License LLC herein requests a grant of Special Temporary Authority for 180 days,
commencing upon grant, to use its Castle Rock, Colorado Ku—band earth station (Call Sign KL92) to
provide launch and early orbit phase service for Eutelsat—7C, and telemetry, tracking, and command
services during in—orbit testing and drifting of the satellite to its final location.




5


                                                                      it

                                                                           &W    Jcirhc
                                                                   #5Es -57,c’-0201 ?/-äá
                                                                Call Sign  k’L  ?Grant Date O/O
                                                                (or other identifier)
                                                                                                  &
                                                                                      Dates
 Applicant: Intelsat License LLC
 file No.:  SES-STA-20190516-00667          GRANTED
 Call Sign: KL92                           1ntemationa Bureau
 Special Temporary Authority

 Intelsat License LLC (“Intelsat”) was granted special temporary authority
 for 180 days, beginning August 7, 2019, to operate its fixed earth station
 in Castle Rock, CO to provide launch and early orbit phase (LEO?) services
 for the Eutelsat-7C satellite and conduct telemetry, tracking and
 command services during in-orbit testing and as it drifts to its final
 orbital location. LEOP operations will be performed on the following
 center frequencies: 11199.0 MHz, 11200.6 MHz, 11698.2 MHz, and
 11699.0 MHz (space-to-Earth); and 13750.40 MHz, 13999.25 MHz,
 14250.00 MHz, and 14499.80 MHz (Earth-to-space) under the following
 conditions:

1.   Operations will not exceed the operational power levels and
parameters.

2.     All operations under this grant of special temporary authority shall
 be on an unprotected and non-harmful interference basis. Intelsat shall
 not cause harmful interference to and shall not claim protection from
 interference caused to it by, any other lawfully operating radio
 communication system.

3.     In the event of any harmful interference under this grant of special
temporary authority, Intelsat must cease operations immediately upon
notification of such interference, and must inform the Commission, in
writing, immediately of such an event.

4.    All operators of satellites will be provided with an emergency phone
number where the licensee can be reached in the event that harmful
interference occurs, Currently the 24x7 contact information for Intelsat’s
Eutelsat-7C mission is Ph.: (703) 559-7701-East Coast Operations Center
(primary); (3 10) 525-5591-West Coast Operations Center (back-up).
Request to speak with Harry Burnham or Kevin Bell.

5.   Any action taken or expense incurred as a result of operations
pursuant to this special temporary authority is solely at Intelsat’s risk.

6.    Intelsat’s operations to the date of this grant were authorized pursuant to
Section 1.62 of Commission’s rules 47 C.F.R. of Commission’s rules 47 C.F.R.


7.    Grant of this authorization is without prejudice to any
determination that the Commission may make regarding pending or
future Intelsat applications.


This action is issued pursuant to Section 0.26 1 of the Commission’s rules
on delegated authority, 47 C.F.R. §0.261, and is effective immediately.


          INTELSAT
              Envision. Connect. Transform.




May 16, 2019

Ms. Marlene H. Dortch
Secretary
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554

        Re:       Request for Special Temporary Authority
                  Castle Rock, Colorado Earth Station KL92

Dear Ms. Dortch:

Intelsat License LLC (“Intelsat”) herein requests a grant of Special Temporary Authority (“STA”)’ for
 1 80 days, commencing upon grant, to use its Castle Rock, Colorado Ku-band earth station (Call Sign
KL92) to provide launch and early orbit phase (“LEOP”) service for Eutelsat-7C, and telemetry,
tracking, and command (“TT&C”) services during in-orbit testing and drifting of the satellite to its
final location. Eutelsat-7C is expected to launch on June 20, 2019.2 Intelsat expects to provide LEOP
and TT&C services for approximately 210 days.3

The Eutelsat-7C LEOP operations will be performed at the following frequencies: 11199.0 MHz,
11200.6 MHz, 11698.2 MHz, and 11699.0 MHz (LHCP) in the downlink; and 13750.40 MHz,
13999.25 MHz, 14250.00 MHz, and 14499.80 MHz (R}ICP) in the uplink. The LEOP operations will
be coordinated with all operators of satellites that use the same frequency bands and are in the LEOP
path.4 All operators of satellites in that path will be provided with an emergency phone number where
the licensee can be reached in the event that harmful interference occurs.

The 24x7 contact information for the Eutelsat-7C LEOP mission is as follows:



         Intelsat has filed its STA request, FCC Form 159, a $210.00 filing fee, and this supporting
letter electronically via the International Bureau’s filing System (“IBFS”).
2
         The lOT location for Eutelsat-7C, which Intelsat understands is licensed by France, will be
I •70 E.L. The satellite’s final location will be 7° E.L.

       Intelsat is seeking authority for 180 days to accommodate the longer orbit-raising time period
required for an electric propulsion satellite.

        SSL, the manager of the Eutelsat-7C mission, will handle the coordination.
Intelsat US LLC
7900 Tysons One Place. McLean, VA 2202-5972 USA www.lntelsat.com T +1 703-5S9-6800


Ms. Marlene H. Dortch
May 16, 2019
Page 2

       Ph.:      (703) 559-7701   —   East Coast Operations Center (primary)
                 (310) 525-5591   —   West Coast Operations Center (back-up)

Request to speak with Harry Bumham or Kevin Bell.

In further support of this request, Intelsat herewith attaches Exhibits A and B, which contain a 13 GHz
report and waiver requests. In the extremely unlikely event that harmful interference should occur due
to transmissions to or from its earth station, Intelsat will take all reasonable steps to eliminate the
interference.

Finally, Intelsat clarifies that during the Eutelsat-7C LEOP mission SSL will serve as the mission
manager. SSL will build and send the commands to the Intelsat antenna, which will process and
execute the commands. Telemetry received by Intelsat will be forwarded to SSL. Intelsat will
perform the ranging sessions by sending a tone to the spacecraft periodically. Intelsat will remain in
control of the baseband unit, RF equipment, and antenna.

Grant of this STA request will allow Intelsat to help launch the Eutelsat-7C satellite and safely insert
it into the geostationary arc. This will help provide services at the 70 E.L. location and thereby
promotes the public interest.

Please direct any questions regarding this STA request to the undersigned at (703) 559-6949.

Respectfully submitted,

/s/Cynthiai Grady

Cynthia I. Grady
Senior Counsel
Intelsat US LLC



cc: Paul Blais


                                                                                              Exhibit A

                                             Intelsat License ICC
                                            Castle Rock, Colorado

                                   NEC Cassegrain 12.5 Meter Earth Station

1. Background
This Exhibit is presented to demonstrate the extent to which the Intelsat License LLC (“Intelsat”) satellite
earth station in Castle Rock, Colorado is in compliance with the Federal Communications Commision (“FCC’)
Report and Order 96-377. The potential inteference from the earth station to U.S. Navy shipboard
radiolocation operations (“RADAR”) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (“NASA”) space
research activities in the 13.75-14.0 GHz band is addressed in this exhibit. The parameters for the earth
station are:




  Coordinates (NAD83):                                        39° 16’ 38” N, 104° 48’ 26.9” W
  Satellite Arc Range for Earth Station:                      Eutelsat-7C at 32.6°W to 177°W
  Frequency Band:                                                       13.75-14.00 GHz
  Polarizations:                                                        Linear & Circular
  Emissions:                                                                  1MOOF2D
  Modulation:                                                               FM/BPSK/NRZ-L
  Maximum Aggregate Uplink EIRP:                                     92dBW for all Carriers
  Transmit Antenna Characteristics
  Antenna Size:                                                     12.5 Meters in Diameter
  Anenna Type/Model:                                                        NEC Cassegrain
  Gain:                                                                         64dBi
  RF Power into Antenna Flange:                                      28 dBW or 5 UBW/4kHz
  Minimum Elevation Angle:                                          5.02° @ 101.48° Azimuth
                                                                    5.03° @ 258.51° Azimuth
  Side Lobe Antenna Gain                                             FCC Reference Pattern



Because the above uplink spectrum is shared with the Federal Government, coordination in this band
requires resolution data pertaining to potential interference between the earth stations and both U.S. Navy
Department and NASA systems. Potential intefference from the earth station could impact the U.S. Navy
and/or NASA systems in two areas. These areas are noted in GCC Report and Order 96-377 dated
September 1996, and consist of (1) Radiolocation and Radio Navigation, (2) Data Relay Satellites.

Summary of Coordination Issues:
  a.) Potential Impact to Government Radiolocation (Shipboard Radar)
  b.) Potential Impact to NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite Systems (“TDRSS”)


2. Potential Impact to Government Radiolocation (Shipboard Radar)
Radiolocation operations (“RADAR) may occur anywhere in the 13.4-14.0 GHz frequency band aboard
ocean-going U.S. Navy ships. FCC order 96-377 allocates the top 250MHz of this 600 MHz band to the Fixed
Satellite Service fF55”) on a co-primary basis with the radiolocation operations and provides for an
interference protection level of -167 dBW/m2/4kHz.


The closest distance to the shoreline from Castle Rock, Colorado earth station is approximately 1350 km.
Therefore, there should be no interference to the US Navy RADAR from the Castle Rock, Colorado facility
due to distance and terrain between Castle Rock and the shoreline.

3. Potential Impact to NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System

The geographic location of the Intelsat earth station in Castle Rock, Colorado is outside the 390 km radius
coordination contour surrounding NASA’s White Sands, New Mexico ground station complex. Therefore the
TDRSS space-to-earth link will not be impacted by the Intelsat earth station in Castle Rock, Colorado.


The TDRSS space-to-space link in the 13.772 to 13.778 GHz band is assumed to be protected if an earth
station produces and EIRP of less than 71 dBW/6MHz in this band. The 12.5 meter earth station antenna
will not transmit in this band. Therefore, there will be no potential interference to the TDRSS space-to
space link.

4. Coordination Result Summary and Conclusions

The results of the analysis and calculation performed in this exhibit indicate that compatible operation
between the earth station at the Castle Rock, Colorado facility and U.S. Navy and NASA TDRSS space-to
earth and space-to-space links are possible. No interference to U.S. Navy RADAR or NASA TDRSS operations
from the Castle Rock, Colorado site earth station should occur.


                                        Exhibit B

           PETITION FOR WAIVER OF SECTIONS 25.137 AND 25.114

Pursuant to Section 25.137 of the Federal Communications Commission’s
(“Commission” or “FCC”) rules, earth station applicants “requesting authority to
communicate with a non-U.S. licensed space station” to serve the United States must
demonstrate that U.S.-licensed satellite systems have effective competitive opportunities
to provide analogues services in certain countries and must provide the same legal and
technical information for the non-U.S.-licensed space station as required by Section
25.114 for U.S.-licensed space stations.1 Intelsat License LLC (“Intelsat”) herein seeks
authority to provide launch and early orbit phase (“LEOP”) services—not commercial
services—to the United States, and thus believes that Section 25.137 does not apply.2

To the extent the Commission determines, however, that Intelsat’s request for authority to
provide LEOP services on a special temporary basis is a request to serve the United
States with a non-U.S.-licensed satellite, Jntelsat respectfully requests a waiver of
Sections 25.137 and 25.114 of the Commission’s rules.3 The Commission may grant a
waiver for good cause shown.4 The Commission typically grants a waiver where the
particular facts make strict compliance inconsistent with the public interest.5 In granting
a waiver, the Commission may take into account considerations of hardship, equity, or
more effective implementation of overall policy on an individual basis.6 Waiver is
therefore appropriate if special circumstances warrant a deviation from the general rule,
and such a deviation will serve the public interest.

In this case, good cause exists for a waiver of both Section 25.137 and Section 25.114 of
the FCC’s rules. With respect to Section 25.114, Intelsat seeks authority only to provide
LEOP services for the Eutelsat-7C satellite. The information sought by Section 25.114 is

1
       47 C.F.R.   § 25.137.
2
        See EchoStar Satellite Operating Company Application for Special Temporary
Authority Related to Moving the EchoStar 6 Satellitefrom the 77° WL. Orbital Location
to the 96.2° WL. Orbital Location, and to Operate at the 96.2° WL. Orbital Location,
Order and Authorization, 28 FCC Rcd. 4229 (2013) (noting that operating TT&C earth
stations in the United States with a foreign-licensed satellite does not constitute “DBS
service”).

       47C.F.R. §‘25.137and25.114.
‘I
       47C.F.R.1.3.

       N.E. Cellular Tel. Co. v. FCC, 897 F.2d 1164, 1166 (D.C. Cir. 1990) (“Northeast
Cellular”).
6
       WAITRadio v. FCC, 419 F.2d 1153, 1159 (D.C. Cir. 1969); Northeast Cellular,
897 F.2d at 1166.


Exhibit B
Request for Special Temporary Authority
Page 2

not relevant to LEOP services. Moreover, Intelsat does not have—and would not easily
be able to obtain—such information because Jntelsat is not the operator of the Eutelsat
7C satellite. Intelsat has a contract with SSL, the manufacturer of the Eutelsat-7C
satellite, to conduct LEOP and TT&C services.

The information required under Section 25.114 of the FCC’s rules is not necessary to
determine potential harmful interference. The Schedule S information for this satellite
would pertain to the operation of the Eutelsat-7C satellite at its final orbital location.
However, the present application for LEOP services involves communications prior to
the satellite attaining its final location in the geostationary orbit and TT&C during in-
orbit testing and drifting. hi other words, during the LEOP mission, the earth station will
not be communicating with a satellite located in the geostationary orbit. Rather, it will be
transmitting to a satellite traveling on its “transfer orbit” or “LEOP path,” which starts
immediately following its separation from a launch vehicle and ends when the satellite
reaches its geostationary orbital location as well as in-orbit testing and drifting to the
satellite’s final location. Moreover, as with any STA, Intelsat will perform the services
on a non-interference basis.

Because it is not relevant to the service for which Intelsat seeks authorization, and
because obtaining the information would be a hardship, Intelsat seeks a waiver of all the
information required by Section 25.114 of the Commission’s rules. Intelsat has provided
in this STA request the required technical information that is relevant to the LEOP or
TT&C services for which Intelsat seeks authorization.

Good cause also exists to waive Section 25.137 of the agency’s rules. Section 25.137 is
designed to ensure that “U.S.-licensed satellite systems have effective competitive
opportunities to provide analogous services” in other countries.7 Here, there is no service
being provided by the satellite; it is simply being placed in its orbital location after
separating from the launch vehicle. Thus, the purpose of Section 25.137 would not be
served by applying these rules to LEOP services. For example, Section 25.137(d)(4)
requires earth station applicants requesting authority to operate with a non-U.S.-licensed
space station that is not in orbit and operating to post a bond.8 The underlying purpose of
Section 25.137(d)(4)—to provide parity between U.S.-licensed and non-U.S.-licensed
commercial satellite systems in discouraging orbital location warehousing—would not be
served by requiring Intelsat to post a bond to provide approximately seven months of
LEOP and TT&C services to the Eutelsat-7C satellite.

It is Intelsat’s understanding that Eutelsat-7C is licensed by France, which is a WTO
member country. Thus, the purpose of Section 25.137—to ensure that U.S. satellite
operators enjoy “effective competitive opportunities” to serve certain foreign markets—
will not be undermined by grant of this waiver request.



747 C.F.R. 25.137(a).
$
            §
  See 47 C.F.R. §25.137(d)(4).


Exhibit B
Request for Special Temporary Authority
Page 3

Finally, Intelsat notes that it expects to operate with the Eutelsat-7C satellite using its
U.S. earth station for a period of approximately seven months. Requiring Jntelsat to
obtain copious technical and legal information from an unrelated party, where there is no
risk of harmful interference and the operations will cease after approximately seven
months, would pose undue hardship without serving underlying policy objectives. Given
these particular facts, the waiver sought herein is plainly appropriate.



Document Created: 2019-08-28 12:01:51
Document Modified: 2019-08-28 12:01:51

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