<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT 31.1
                                  CERTIFICATION

I, Marshall W. Pagon, certify that:

     1.  I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Pegasus Satellite
         Communications, Inc.;
     2.  Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any
         untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
         necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances
         under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to
         the period covered by this quarterly report;
     3.  Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
         information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all
         material respects the financial condition, results of operations and
         cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
         this quarterly report;
     4.  The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
         establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
         defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and
         have:
            a)   designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that
                 material information relating to the registrant, including its
                 consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within
                 those entities, particularly during the period in which this
                 quarterly report is being prepared;
            b)   evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
                 controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to
                 the filing date of this quarterly report (the "Evaluation
                 Date"); and
            c)   presented in this quarterly report our conclusions about the
                 effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based
                 on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;
     5.  The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based
         on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the
         audit committee of the registrant's board of directors:
            a)   all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
                 internal controls which could adversely affect the registrant's
                 ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data
                 and have identified for the registrant's auditors any material
                 weaknesses in internal controls; and
            b)   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
                 other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
                 internal controls; and
     6.  The registrant's other certifying officer and I have indicated in this
         quarterly report whether there were significant changes in internal
         controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal
         controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation,
         including any corrective actions with regard to significant
         deficiencies and material weaknesses.

May 17, 2004

/s/ Marshall W. Pagon
---------------------
Marshall W. Pagon
Chief Executive Officer