PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 1919 M STREET N.W. WASHINGTON, DC 20554 ___________________________________________________________ News media Information 202/418-0500 Recorded listing of releases and texts 202/418-2222. DA 95-1689 Report No. SPB-20 July 28, 1995 Ka-Band Satellite Applications Accepted For Filing; Cut-Off Established for Additional Applications The Commission has found, upon initial review, that the following applications are acceptable for filing. The Commission reserves the right to return these applications, however, if, upon further review, it is determined that they are defective or not in conformance with the Commission's rules, regulations and policies. The Commission does not intend, by the issuance of this Public Notice, to create a window for the filing of applications to provide Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS). The Commission intends to establish such a window for the filing of mutually exclusive LMDS applications after the adoption of final rules for that service. In addition, we note that there is currently a freeze on the acceptance of applications for the 27.5-29.5 GHz frequency band in the point-to-point microwave radio service. See Petitions for Redesignation of the Common Carrier Point-to-Point Microwave Radio Service Frequency Band (27.5 GHz - 29.5 GHz), RM-7722, RM-7872, Order, DA 92-1488, 7 FCC Rcd 7201 (1992). Geostationary Satellite Systems: Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. File Nos. 3/4-DSS-P/LA-94 CSS-94-021 through CSS-94-025 Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. has filed an application and subsequent amendment for authority to construct, launch and operate a satellite system called "Spaceway." The system would operate in the Ka-band and consist of 17 interconnected satellites in geostationary orbit with global coverage. Hughes proposes to create a global network consisting of four interconnected regional satellite systems: (1) North America; (2) Asia-Pacific; (3) Central/South America; and (4) Europe/Africa. Hughes proposes to locate two satellites at 101 W.L. and two satellites at 99 W.L. to serve the North American region; four satellites at 110 E.L. to serve Asia/Pacific; four satellites at 50 W.L. to serve Central/South America and four satellites at 25 E.L. to serve Europe/Africa. In addition, a single satellite will be located at 175 E.L. to provide single-hop service between eastern Asia and the U.S. Each of the regional systems, except the one serving North America, is to operate in the Earth-to-space transmission direction in the 27.5- 30.0 GHz band; the North American system is to operate in the 29.0-30.0 GHz band. Downlink operations are proposed in the 17.7-20.2 GHz band. Each proposed satellite will incorporate forty-eight 120 MHz spot beams for uplink and downlink communications, twenty-four in each polarization direction. Hughes proposes to provide low-cost, ubiquitous, high-speed data, video, and videotelephony communications services which will be integrated into the public switched telephone network and inter-operable with the terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure. The services will be available "on demand" with an estimated domestic satellite capacity of 21,650 simultaneous duplex 384 Kbs channels and 92,000 such channels system wide. KaStar Communications Corporation File No. 128-SAT-P/LA-95 KaStar Communications Corporation has filed an application for authority to construct, launch, and operate a digital domestic fixed satellite system in the Ka-band. KaStar proposes to use the 29.0 to 29.5 GHz frequency band for its satellite uplinks and 19.2 to 19.7 GHz band for its satellite downlinks. KaStar proposes to provide inexpensive, high speed, switch data, video and video telephone satellite communications services to individual and business users. The system will incorporate multi-use spot beams to provide two way services throughout the continental United States, including services to Alaska and Hawaii. KaStar, pursuant to Section 1.3 of the Commission's Rules, 47 C.F.R.  1.3, requests a waiver of the financial qualification requirement contained in Section 25.140(b)-(e) of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R.  25.140(b)-(d). Loral Aerospace Holdings, Inc. File Nos. 109-SAT-P/LA-95 110-SAT-P-95 Loral Aerospace Holdings, Inc. ("LAHI") has filed an application for authority to construct, launch, and operate a Ka-band geostationary fixed satellite, "CyberStar," and to construct a ground spare. LAHI proposes to use 1250 MHz at 28.75 GHz to 30.0 GHz for satellite uplinks to serve the contiguous United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. LAHI proposes to use 18.95 to 20.20 GHz frequency bands for its downlinks. LAHI proposes to locate Cyberstar at 110 degrees W.L. The proposed satellite will operate using 20 regional high-powered spot beams with cross-polarization. The proposed satellite is specifically designed to provide compressed high data rate digital signals in the Ka-band frequency to both commercial and residential users. Services will include video telephony and videoconferencing, medical and technical tele-imaging, computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) data, and image transmission. PanAmSat Licensee Corporation File No. 117-SAT-AMEND-95 PanAmSat Licensee Corporation has filed an amendment to its application to construct, launch, and operate a hybrid geostationary fixed-satellite, PAS-9. See Public Notice Report No. SPB-15 released (June 30, 1995). In this amendment, PanAmSat requests authority to expand PAS-9's proposed operations to include the Ka-band. PanAmSat proposes to use the 27.5-30.0 GHz for satellite uplinks, and 17.7 - 20.1 GHz for satellite downlinks. PAS-9, which PanAmSat proposes to operate at 58 W.L., is to serve the United States and other countries through movable Ka-band spot beams. Non-geostationary System: Teledesic Corporation File No. 22-DSS-P/LA-94(840) 43-SAT-AMEND-95 127-SAT-AMEND-95 Teledesic Corporation has filed an application and subsequent amendments for authority to construct, launch, and operate a constellation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites in the fixed-satellite service. Teledesic proposes to operate a constellation of 840 satellites, with 40 active satellites evenly spaced in each of 21 orbital planes in the 28 GHz band. The system will provide "constant" coverage to over 95% of the Earth's surface through a fixed grid of approximately 20,000 160 km squares or "super cells." Teledesic requests authority to operate using 500 MHz in each direction of paired spectrum for its service links, specifically the 28.6 to 29.1 GHz (uplink) and the 18.8-19.3 GHz (downlinks). Teledesic also proposes to operate gateway terminals in 800 MHz of the Ka-band. Teledesic's proposed services include: "network quality" voice; facsimile; real-time; two-way digital data; videoconferencing; interactive multimedia; and other broadband types of services that allow the user to access only the amount of bandwidth needed for a particular application. Comments or petitions regarding these applications may be filed on or before September 29, 1995. Replies and oppositions may be filed on or before October 27, 1995. Responses may be filed on or before November 14, 1995. Pursuant to Section 25.392(b) of the rules, 47 C.F.R.  25.392(b), interested parties wishing to file applications for satellite systems to be considered concurrently with these applications may do so on or before September 29, 1995. Each applicant must file a concrete, comprehensive satellite system proposal, which describes, in detail, all pertinent technical and operational aspects of the system and its ability to proceed expeditiously with construction and launch. In particular, applicants shall provide all information specified in Section 25.140 of the rules, 47 C.F.R.  25.140, as appropriate. Applications that fail to satisfy these requirements as of the cut-off date will be dismissed as unacceptable for filing. We recognize that design parameter for FSS systems have not yet been finalized. Consequently, applicants filing by the cut-off date will be afforded an opportunity to amend their applications to conform with any requirements and policies that may be adopted for satellite systems in these frequency bands. See especially, Third Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in CC Docket No. 92- 297, FCC 95-287 (released July 28, 1995). We further envision that geostationary and non- geostationary systems will be considered as separate processing groups. For further information, contact Jennifer Gilsenan or Kathleen Campbell at (202) 739-0735. - FCC -