Space News, Ahead Sat. It was moved to the new slot in August, Hart said. We want a firm presence so we can do business in that market. The Anatel-issued license gave Loral three years to place a satellite at the orbital position.
Orbital slots designate the locations in space where geostationary satellites are located.
They are assigned by the International Telecommunication Union to individual nations. Because satellites must be spaced far enough apart to avoid causing radio interference, there are a limited number of orbital slots that can serve a given portion of the Earth's surface. Loral's use of the Brazilian slot carries certain conditions, including a requirement that at least half of the capacity of any satellite residing at the orbital position be aimed at Brazil, Byrnes said. Loral also had to set up a wholly owned subsidiary, Skynet do Brasil, to handle sales of satellite capacity, she said. Hart said the satellite is low on fuel, meaning it drifts in space and requires users to have tracking antennas to maintain contact.