COMSAT Proposes New System for Many Users

74111\ _j 'Program for an advance for the people of'the U.S.' COMSAT Proposes New System for Many Users In a March I filing with the Federal Com- system that would through modern space tech- munications Commission, COMSAT proposed nology vastly expand and Greatly diversify the a multipurpose domestic satellite system to nation's communications resources. provide a wide range of communication services COMSAT made its proposal in a three-vol- to customers throughout the United States. ume filing, buttressed by detailed technical The system would employ three high-capacity and economic plans. The system ultimately satellites in synchronous orbits and an initial could involve an investment cost of approxi- nationwide network of 132 earth stations-a mately $248 million. (See ('O\ISAT Offers Domestic Sys(em . Page 3) Series IV Satellite Nears Position; News at a Glance Commercial Service To Begin Soon • COMSAT proposes multipurpose domestic satellite system for many users ( Page 1). The first satellite in the INTELSAT • INTELSAT IV launch suc- IV series, now nearing its intended ceeds; satellite scheduled to be in position over the Atlantic Ocean, is operation in mid-March ( Page 2). being prepared to begin commercial • INTELSAT satellites to be service in the middle of March. used for testing unmanned earth The satellite was successfully station experiment conducted by launched on January 25 after three the National Science Foundation postponements due to unfavorable (Page 5). wind conditions at high altitudes over Cape Kennedy. • John L. Martin, Jr., is elected In the first use of an Atlas Centaur Assistant Vice President for Do- on INTELSAT launch missions, the mestic and Aeronautical Satellite satellite was injected into a highly Systems ( Page 5). accurate transfer orbit. Telemetry • ICSC reports actions of the data was satisfactory, and no space- fifty-first meeting. Next meeting craft nutation was detectable. scheduled for M arch 17-24 (Page The apogee motor was fired at the 9). third apogee, with satisfactory results, and the satellite was injected into near- • IAESTE students find new life synchronous orbit with a westward and new experiences in the COM- drift of 3.5 degrees a day. SAT jobs they have taken through At its present drift rate, the satellite the technical exchange program The Atlas Centaur was used to launch will arrive at its intended station (24.5 (Page 6). the first satellite in the IV series. degrees west longitude) in early March • FCC Commissioners visit the The drift will he halted by firing COMSAT Labs for briefings and hydrazine thrusters. Net Income Rises a Lab tour (Page 9). • Global television shows sizable Communications Tests To $1.75 a Share increase during 1970; more inter- Communications tests began on national TV seen for the coming February 7 when the satellite became year(page 17). visible to the Fucino. Italy, Earth Sta- COMSAT reported a net income • Labs facilities division takes tion, and were completed on February for 1970 of $17,501,000, or $1.75 per care of the housekeeping and 19. The tests showed that the satellite's share, up from $7,129,000, or.71 cents maintenance duties to keep the communications components and an- per share, for 1969. Labs in good working condition tennas were operating properly. Operating revenues for 1970 were (Pages 10-11). When traffic transfers are com- $69,598,000, an increase of $22,564,- • Ham radio operators aid completed , the new satellite will he the 000 (48 percent) over the $47,034,000 munications with victims of the primary operational satellite for the received in 1969. California earthquake (Page 12). Atlantic region . A mass, simultaneous Improvement in revenues resulted pointover of the earth station antennas from an overall increase in use of the • Baron Joseph Fourier -a short in 14 countries now operating with the satellite system. At December 31. account of the developer of a INTELSAT III. F-6, satellite is 1970, the equivalent of 2,139 full-time mathematical sequence frequently planned for amid-March . Before the half-circuits were being leased to used in satellite communications pointover occurs, however , the fre- COMSAT customers, compared with (Pages 18-19). quencies and bandwidth being used 1,435 at the end of 1969. an increase by these earth stations will be changed of 704 (49.1 percent). to meet INTELSAT IV transmission Operating expenses for 1970 amount- On the Cover parameters . The modifications will ed to $59,118.000, up from $45,202,000 Briefing reporters on COM- begin in early March. for 1969. Depreciation and amortiza- .SAT's multipurpose domestic tion expenses accounted for $19,968,- system. Dr. Joseph V. Chart'k outlined details of the proposal The IV Series 000 of the 1970 total, compared with S17,481,000 for 1969. and answered questions. Meanwhile fabrication of follow-on Net operating income for 1970 to- satellites in the IV series continues on taled S10,480,000, compared with February -March 1971 - Year 6, No. 2 schedule at Hughes Aircraft Company. $1,832,000 for 1969. COMSAT News is published for employ- The IV, F-l, remains in storage. Other income, consisting primarily ees of the Communications Satellite Cor- poration by the Information Office. The current delivery schedule calls of interest from temporary cash invest- COMSAT Building, 950 L'Enfant Plaza, for delivery of the F-3 in March, with ments (net of Federal income taxes) S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024. delivery of three further flight models and interest during construction, was A.V.P. for Public Information later in 1971 and the final two early $7,021,000, compared to S5,297,000 in Matthew Gordon in 1972. 1969. Editor : Kay Smith COMSAT Plans Use of Extensive Antenna Network COMSAT's proposal for a multipurpose domestic system calls for an extensive initial ground network of 132 earth stations, including new stations in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. COMSAT has submitted detailed construction applications for a Y Ir Y V Y first group of five station facilities, with other applications to he filed Y W ' ' -4 r W later. w Y .9 1 W I V 4 1, This first group included stations embodying most of the essential technical characteristics for different types of stations that would be needed in the full system, thus giving the FCC the basic data to evaluate and compare COMSAT's plan with any alternatives. An artist 's concept of COMSAAT's proposed multipurpose satellite system for The applications called for two ma- domestic services. jor stations, one at Southbury, Con- necticut, to serve the New York City From Page 1 area, and one near Santa Paula, Cali- fornia, to serve the Los Angeles area. Each station would be equipped with two (twin) 97-foot diameter antennas COMSAT Offers Domestic System for sending and receiving communications; also one 42-foot antenna at each To Serve Wide Variety of U. S. Users site primarily for tracking. telemetry and control (TT&C) duties associ- ated with positioning and controlling In a press briefing held at COM- limited frequency space and bring the the satellites in the system. SAT Headquarters, Dr. Joseph V. full economies of scale to all users, Also included were applications to Chartik, President, told 24 members large and small. construct three stations in Alaska. One of the press that, "the benefits of At the briefing, Dr. Charyk said receive-only 42-foot antenna for TV satellite technology to a high degree the establishment of a single multi- distribution would be located at COM- have been brought to international purpose, multi-user domestic satellite SAT's present Bartlett earth station communications. But as a recent Sen- system, employing large satellites, to site near Talkeetna, about 90 miles ate Commerce Committee report meet non-Bell System requirements, northwest of Anchorage. Two send- states, the people of the United States provides a great opportunity to do and-receive stations with 32-foot an- have been deprived of a domestic three things: tennas would be located at sites near satellite system and its benefits." "(I) to provide the means for satel- Juneau and at Prudhoe Bay on the Dr. Charyk noted that COMSAT lite communications to provide a true North Slope as the first steps toward recently filed with the FCC an ap- competitive alternative to existing providing both intrastate and inter- plication to provide satellite services terrestrial facilities, state Alaska communications via to the American Telephone and Tele- "(2) to make the most efficient use satellite facilities. graph Company. of radio frequency spectrum and avail- The COMSAT system also would "Now," he said. "COMSAT asks able orbital slots and, thereby include 42-foot receive-only antennas authority to provide a nation-wide "(3) to provide to the people of the for TV distribution to be located at multipurpose system of communica- United States the economic benefits sites of existing earth stations at Pau- tions services. COMSAT wants all of the advanced satellite technology in malu, Hawaii. and Cayey, Puerto prospective users to share the bene- the best way." Rico. Applications for these will be fits." Following his half-hour statement, filed later, pending arrangements with The proposed multipurpose satellite Dr. Charyk answered questions for 45 other carrier companies who share system would be capable of handling minutes. Attending the briefing were ownership with COMSAT in the all types of high-quality communica- representatives of a number of major present sites. tions, including telephone, data ser- daily newspapers, news wires and COMSAT said that applications for vices and TV programming. The Cor- trade press publications. the remaining 127 earth stations in the poration emphasized that only a single The COMSAT filing was in re- initial ground station network would multi-user system of high capacity sponse to FCC guidelines issued last be filed subsequently as discussions are such as it proposed-rather than a March 20 for parties wishing to apply concluded with major potential users proliferation of separate systenms- for initial service, including the TV would result in proper conservation of (See High Power Satellites, Page 191 networks and large carrier companies.

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