**Before the**

**Federal Communications Commission**

**Washington, D.C. 20554**

In the Matter of the Application of )

)

COMSAT GENERAL CORPORATION )

) File No.: SAT-MOD-19991214-00121

For Modification of Authorization to )

Operate Space Station in the )

Mobile Satellite Service )

**ORDER AND AUTHORIZATION**

Adopted: August 14, 2000 Released: August 16, 2000

By the Chief, Satellite and Radiocommunication Division, International
Bureau:

# [introduction]{.underline}

1.  This Order grants Comsat General Corporation ("Comsat") authority to
    relocate its Marisat-F2 space station. Specifically, this Order
    authorizes Marisat-F2, which was not in service at its assigned 72°
    E.L. orbit location, to operate at 33.9° W.L. Today's action will
    allow Comsat to accommodate the operational requirements of the
    National Science Foundation ("NSF") for communications between NSF's
    South Pole research station and the United States.

# [BACKGROUND]{.underline}

2.  On December 14, 1999, Comsat applied for a modification of its
    authority to operate Marisat-F2 at 72.5° E.L. Comsat requests
    authority to operate at 33.9° W.L. and provide service via the
    satellite C/L band capacity[^1] in order to meet NSF's
    communications requirements.[^2] No parties filed comments with
    regard to this request.

3.  Comsat states that it needs to relocate the satellite to accommodate
    communications between NSF's South Pole research station and the
    United States.[^3] Since this communications link requires that the
    satellite be visible to the East Coast of the United States, the
    satellite must be moved from its current location over the Indian
    Ocean to a location over the Atlantic Ocean. Comsat proposes to use
    the following frequencies: 1) C-to-L band ---6420-6424 MHz
    (Earth-to-space) and 1537-1541 MHz (space-to-Earth); and 2) L-to-C
    band ---1638.5-1642.5 MHz (Earth-to-space) and 4195-4199 MHz
    (space-to-Earth).

# III. DISCUSSION

4.  It has been Commission policy, in order to accommodate licensees, to
    grant requests for relocation of a satellite if the requested
    location is available for reassignment and relocation will not cause
    unacceptable interference to adjacent satellites.[^4] The nearest
    operating satellite is an INTELSAT satellite at 34.5º W.L. Inmarsat
    has satellites with global beams operating at 15.5º W.L. and 54º
    W.L. Comsat states that agreement has been reached with both
    INTELSAT and Inmarsat regarding the placement of Marisat-F2 at 33.9°
    W.L.[^5] No comments were filed indicating that any other operators
    might consider themselves at risk of unacceptable interference from
    the requested relocation.

5.  Marisat-F2 will only transmit when it is visible to the South
    Pole.[^6] This only occurs when the satellite latitude is greater
    than approximately nine degrees south of the equatorial plane.
    Marisat-F2 is operating at an inclination of approximately 12.8°.
    The resulting isolation due to the inclination and the greater than
    nine degrees separation for operation mitigate any likelihood that
    any other interference concerns might arise.

6.  We find that permitting Comsat to operate Marisat-F2 at 33.9° W.L.
    will serve the public interest. The 33.9º W.L. orbital location is
    currently unoccupied. Its use by Comsat will allow use of a heavily
    inclined satellite over which no traffic is currently carried to
    provide service to a customer with an unusually difficult site from
    which to obtain service.

# III. [ORDERING CLAUSES]{.underline}

7.  Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, that the Comsat General Corporation
    Request for Modification, File No. SAT-MOD-19991214-00121, IS
    GRANTED to the extent indicated herein.

8.  IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the C-to-L and L-to-C band transponders
    shall only be activated when the satellite is visible to the South
    Pole and the Marisat-F2 latitude is no less than nine degrees south
    of the Equator.

9.  IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Comsat General Corporation shall prepare
    the remaining information necessary for submission to the
    International Telecommunication Union, to the extent applicable, to
    initiate the advance publication, international coordination, and
    notification process, in accordance with the International
    Telecommunication Union Radio Regulations. No protection from
    interference caused by radio stations authorized by other
    Administrations is guaranteed unless coordination procedures are
    timely completed or, with respect to individual administrations, by
    successfully completing coordination agreements. Any radio stations
    authorization for which coordination has not been completed may be
    subject to additional terms and conditions as required to effect
    coordination of the frequency assignments of other Administrations,
    47 C.F.R. § 25.111(b).

10. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the assignment of any orbital location to
    Comsat General Corporation is subject to change by summary order of
    the Commission on 30 days notice and does not confer any permanent
    right to use the orbit and spectrum.

11. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Comsat General Corporation is obliged to
    comply with the applicable laws, regulations, rules, and licensing
    procedures in those countries it proposes to serve.

12. Comsat General Corporation is afforded thirty days from the date of
    release of this order to decline this authorization. Failure to
    respond within this period will constitute formal acceptance of the
    authorization as conditioned.

13. This Order is issued pursuant to Section 0.261 of the Commission's
    rules on delegations of authority, 47 C.F.R. § 0.261, and is
    effective upon release. Petitions for reconsideration under Section
    1.106 or applications for review under Section 1.115 of the
    Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.106, 1.115, may be filed within
    30 days of the date of the release of this order (see 47 C.F.R.
    § 1.4(b)(2)).

    FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

    Thomas S. Tycz

Chief

Satellite & Radiocommunication Division International Bureau

[^1]: The C-band refers to the 3700-4200/5925-6425 MHz frequency bands.
    The L-band is a general designation for frequencies from 1 to 2 GHz.
    The L-band frequencies Comsat proposes to use are in the \"lower\"
    L-band (i.e. 1525-1530 MHz, 1530-1544 MHz, and 1626.5-1645.5 MHz
    frequency bands). The \"upper\" L-band is comprised of the 1545-1559
    MHz and 1646.5-1660.5 MHz frequency bands. The United States is the
    only country that distinguishes between the \"upper\" and \"lower\"
    L-band.

[^2]: *See* Application of Comsat General Corporation for Modification
    of Authorization to Operate at 33.9º W.L. (filed December 14, 1999).
    Comsat is now in the process of drifting Marisat-F2 to 33.9º W.L.
    pursuant to a grant of special temporary authority. *See* Letter
    from Thomas S. Tycz to Robert A. Mansbach granting Special Temporary
    Authority (February 15, 2000). (upon expriation of the grant made in
    the February 15 letter, we granted Comsat verbal authority to
    operate under another Special Temporary Authority on August 11,
    2000. This Order and Authorization will supercede the existing
    Special Temporary Authority).

[^3]: *See* Application of Comsat General Corporation for Modification
    of Authorization to Operate at 33.9º W.L. (filed December 14, 1999).

[^4]: *See* DirectTV Authority to Relocate DBS-1 from 101º W.L. to
    109.8º W.L., DA 99-1781 (Sept. 1, 1999); Hughes Communications
    Galaxy Authority to Relocate SBS-6 from 72º W.L. to 74º W.L., DA
    95-1736 (Aug.. 8, 1995); GE American Communications, Inc. Authority
    to Relocate Satcom 1R from 139º W.L. to 131º W.L., DA 90-1879 (Jan.
    4, 1991).

[^5]: *Written Ex Parte* from Robert A. Mansbach, attorney, Comsat, to
    Magalie Salas, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, August
    9, 2000. *Written Ex Parte* from Robert A. Mansbach, attorney,
    Comsat, to Magalie Salas, Secretary, Federal Communications
    Commission, August 10, 2000.

[^6]: Letter from Robert A. Mansbach, attorney, Comsat, to Magalie
    Salas, Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, Mar. 6, 2000.