California-based startup Xona Space Systems seeks FCC authorization to launch a 258-satellite radionavigation satellite service in low earth orbit. In an Office of International Affairs application Tuesday, Xona said the aim is to provide centimeter-level positioning, navigation and timing services for U.S. and international markets using the L and C bands. It said it anticipates launching 60 satellites a year to replenish its aging ones.
Intelsat's seventh and final C-band replacement satellite, Galaxy 37, will launch as early as August to replace Galaxy 13, Intelsat said in its updated C-band transition plan, posted Wednesday in docket 18-122. It said all continental U.S. receive antenna feeds will be equipped with blue filters by the Dec. 5 Phase II C-band clearing deadline. It said higher-than-expected teleport migration costs pushed its estimate of overall reimbursable costs from $1.755 billion to $1.77 billion.
SES has done everything it needs to do to satisfy the C-band Phase II accelerated clearing deadline, it said in a docket 18-122 certification Tuesday. The FCC validated earlier this month that Telesat, Eutelsat and Embratel had completed their Phase II clearing (see 2306300038).
The orbital inclination shell altitude for SpaceX's second-generation constellation is quite different from what it told the FCC it would be, Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics astronomer Jonathan McDowell tweeted Monday. Rather than 530 km, as SpaceX said it would, the altitude is more a range of 480 km to 580 km, "which is huge and covers most of the range" of most other operational low earth orbit satellite systems, he said. SpaceX didn't comment Tuesday.
SpaceX's application for review of an order allowing Viasat to acquire Inmarsat's authorizations (see 2306210047) uses "years-old, unfounded allegations" unrelated to the transaction, Viasat and Inmarsat said Thursday in a reply in docket 22-153. The FCC Space Bureau/Office of International Affairs order is "a straightforward application of well-established Commission precedent" that SpaceX then ignores or misrepresents, the two said, urging the agency to dismiss or deny the application.
OneWeb wants FCC permission to operate Kymeta u8 user terminals under a blanket license to communicate with its non-geostationary orbit satellite system in the 10.7-12.7 GHz and 14.0-14.5 GHz bands, it said in a blanket license application posted Wednesday. It said the terminals would be deployed as fixed terminals, vehicle-mounted earth stations and earth stations on vessels.
The nearly $260 million Telesat will receive for the second phase of its accelerated C-band clearing in the U.S. should come by October, the satellite operator said Wednesday. It said it had already received its first-phase accelerated clearing payments of $84.8 million. The FCC Wireless Bureau last week validated accelerated clearing of the lower C band by Telesat, Eutelsat and Embratel (see 2306300038).
As part of space launch services company Firefly Aerospace's buy from M&Y Space of Spaceflight, M&Y Space and Spaceflight seek transfer of Spaceflight's sister company, Spaceflight Federal, to Spacerlight. According to an application Friday with the FCC Space Bureau, Spaceflight Federal, an M&Y Space subsidiary, holds a variety of agency licenses, authorizations and pending applications. The companies said FCC approval would result in control of Spaceflight Federal moving from M&Y to Spaceflight, with Firefly in turn controlling Spaceflight. FCC consent would let Firefly use Spaceflight Federal licenses to combine Firefly launch and spacecraft vehicles with Spaceflight's on-orbit experience, per the application. Firefly's Spaceflight acquisition was announced last month.
Intelsat's seventh Galaxy replacement satellite is targeted to launch in early Q3 of this year as part of the C-band clearing process, the company told the FCC in a docket 18-122 filing posted Monday. In its update of its C-band clearing progress, Intelsat said it has completed all Phase II satellite grooming and customer service transition activities, all technology upgrades associated with the customer transitions and all Phase II filter installations.
The FCC at the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference should back the proposed future agenda item for WRC-27 on study and update of equivalent power flux density limits and of aggregate interference limits, Amazon Kuiper representatives told Office of International Affairs staffers, per a docket 16-185 filing Monday. It said the current geostationary satellite network rules are "outdated."