High-Speed Goes Small the Internet Has Changed Life As We Know It, with a Massive Array of Possibilities Enabled

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

High-Speed Goes Small the Internet Has Changed Life As We Know It, with a Massive Array of Possibilities Enabled ....High Speed Internet Photo courtesy of sdecoret/Shutterstock High-speed goes small The Internet has changed life as we know it, with a massive array of possibilities enabled. We can speak with friends across the world in real-time, run our businesses, shop for groceries, or catch the latest episode of ‘insert current TV show I’m too behind the times to be aware of’ on our mobile phone while cuddling up in bed. We take this connectivity for granted, paying very little attention to the incredible fibre or satellite technology behind it, despite the fact that this can only be described as Very Big Business. Amy Saunders, Editor, Satellite Evolution Group For those of us who grew up without any kind of Internet • Small (and large) businesses: Closely entwined with at all – I remember how exciting it was when my parents got online shopping, entrepreneurs have grasped hold of our first dial-up connectivity back in my early teen years – opportunities to launch their own online businesses at the advent of high-speed broadband into homes across the very low cost, providing a flexible and independent developed world was a complete game-changer on so many alternative to the standard 9-5. Meanwhile, established levels. As this new level of connectivity became widespread, businesses both small and large are increasingly enabling innovative online companies launched amazing new home working for employees, which is often cheaper and applications that broadened horizons irreversibly for more efficient in labour terms and favoured by many staff. consumers, businesses and government: • Online banking: For those with mobility issues or under time constraints, or simply with better things to do, online • Staying in touch: The Internet has enabled families and banking has become a fantastic use of the Internet, saving friends to stay in touch over unfathomable distances, via time for both customers and the banks themselves. email, Skype, social media, etc, at the click of a button. • e-health: Healthcare capabilities have really opened up • e-marketplaces: The advent of online shopping means in the connected era; from online GP appointments, that we can now order almost anything (or actually requesting and ordering medications online, delivering anything if you delve into the Dark Web) to be delivered diagnosis and treatment digitally to remote and rural direct to our door. Groceries, clothes, technology, home areas, or indeed consulting with experts in niche areas decor, etc. can all be with you as soon as same day! For of medicine, healthcare is well on its way to become a instance, today I’m expecting potting compost, a moss sleek, well-oiled machine. pole and a pack of child-proof drawer locks. • e-learning: Students can take up new disciplines, ranging 8 www.satellite-evolution.com | March/April 2020 broadband.pmd 8 25/03/2020, 18:52 High Speed Internet.... from distance university courses, to how to knit, from the home reveals prices ranging from UK£14.50 (11Mb speeds) comfort of their own homes. For those in rural locations to UK£52.00 (63Mb speeds) for fibre, whereas satellite isn’t with few teachers and facilities, remote learning has even recommended due to so many good fibre options being provided never-before seen opportunities. available – however, times are changing. Overcapacity and • Media consumption: OTT services such as Netflix and increasing competition in the satellite sector means that raw Hulu have boomed since high-speed broadband became capacity prices are falling, making satellite a genuine commonplace, enabling live, on-demand streaming of a competitor for fibre in many areas. massive variety of content. In addition, books and Of course, there exist many areas around the globe where magazines can be bought and consumed digitally on a satellite connectivity is the only option; in rural and remote device of your choosing. regions, island nations, and much of the US, where the laying of fibre is price-prohibitive or even impossible. In addition, The massive array of services currently delivered online satellite connectivity also provides certain advantages over has completely revolutionised the way many of us live our fibre, including the in-built resilience against natural or man- lives. Take a look at the above list and see how many areas made disasters that damage terrestrial fibre infrastructure. you personally make use of to get an idea of the scale of Many businesses across the world have in place a contract things today. Everyone working in the connectivity sector – with a satellite service provider for back-up connectivity in from capacity operators, service providers to equipment case of Earthquake or similar, while utilising fibre for day-to- manufacturers and installers – is well aware of just how day activities. important the Internet is to modern life. Moreover, while While fibre is a pretty stable connectivity method – existing providers compete to win a bigger share of the market in the cables are repaired and upgraded, new cables are run to western world with faster speeds and lower costs, there still new areas, but nothing ground-breaking changes to the best remain some three billion people completely unconnected, of my knowledge – the same cannot be said for satellite. offering up massive business opportunities. Connectivity that has been historically delivered via large telecommunications satellites in GEO, and later large high Delivery methods throughput satellites (HTS) in GEO, is fast becoming outdated Today, home and businesses are provided with high-speed in some peoples’ eyes, as a huge number of small satellite Internet connectivity via fibre or via satellite. Fibre connectivity constellations in MEO and LEO, currently in the planning, has historically been the cheaper option as capacity was build-out or deployment stages, enter stage left. Indeed, while much less expensive than satellite – a quick check for my HTS satellites designed to deliver high-speed Internet www.satellite-evolution.com | March/April 2020 9 broadband.pmd 9 25/03/2020, 18:52 ....High Speed Internet connectivity are still being launched into GEO; AMOS-17 in Also making waves (as always) is SpaceX, which is August 2019; Intelsat 39 in August 2019; Inmarsat’s GX5 in making huge strides towards its Starlink constellation, November 2019; JCSAT-18/Kacific1 in December 2019; ultimately planned to comprise some 12,000 small satellites Eutelsat’s KONNECT in January 2020; the big news this utilizing inter-satellite links and operating in Ka and Ku-bands. decade is in the more scalable, flexible small satellite While the main application of the Starlink constellation is the constellations. delivery of low-cost high-speed Internet connectivity, it’s also possible that some of the satellites will be sold for military, LEO (and MEO) vs GEO scientific or exploratory services. The company kicked off The big supporters of the next-generation constellations of 2020 with the January launch of 60 Starlink satellites, followed small satellites cite a great many advantages of small closely by another 60 in February, bringing the current Starlink satellites orbiting in LEO and MEO over large satellites in constellation total to 240 (or 242 including the demonstrator GEO. For one, the manufacturing costs are vastly reduced satellites launched in 2018) including the 2019 launches. This as a large number of identical small satellites can be produced latest launch makes SpaceX the owner of the largest much more efficiently than one large unique satellite. Launch commercial fleet in orbit, with as many as 21 more missions costs are also lower per satellite thanks to the vastly reduced planned this year alone. weight. Time to orbit is reduced, as manufacturing time is much lower, and the small satellites can form part of a Now, we move on to the planners rideshare with long-ago planned large satellites. For the Telesat is gearing up for a not too distant satellite constellation connectivity service itself, small satellites orbiting in LEO or launch with a 300-strong small satellite constellation in LEO MEO offer up vastly reduced latencies thanks to the much expected to deliver high-speed Internet across the globe. The lower orbits; we’re talking about differences of 35,000km company has already achieved highly successful prototype compared with 160-2,000km, which make a big difference to satellite tests in orbit and has won a lucrative partnership transmission times, when signals can only travel as fast as with the Government of Canada – expected to generate the speed of light! On the flip side, small satellites have vastly CAD$1.2 billion for Telesat over 10 years, and an additional reduced lifespans of 1-5 years compared with 15-20 years CAD$85 million contribution through the Government’s for large telecommunications satellites, requiring much higher Strategic Innovation Fund. refresh rates and many more launches. However, this does Facebook and Amazon have also jumped on the allow for more frequent technology upgrades, whereas the bandwagon; Facebook with its Athena constellation of small larger long-lived satellites have the potential to become satellites designed to provide broadband Internet connectivity, outdated. particularly to rural regions; and Amazon with a planned 3,236 Small satellite constellations, designed to deliver global, small satellite constellation in LEO, also designed for ubiquitous broadband connectivity are all the rage right now. broadband Internet connectivity. Amazon’s Kuiper Systems Designers of these constellations boast that with the right will call for three layers of satellites, 784 at 590km, 1,156 at number of satellites in the right orbits, they can truly deliver 630km and 1,296 at 610km. high-speed broadband connectivity anywhere in the world. At the time of going to press, O3b Networks remains the A mixed future only operator with a fully-commercially-functioning Despite the above discussed (and other) small satellite constellation of small satellites delivering connectivity around constellations targeting high-speed Internet connectivity in the world.
Recommended publications
  • FCC-20-54A1.Pdf
    Federal Communications Commission FCC 20-54 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of ) ) Mitigation of Orbital Debris in the New Space Age ) IB Docket No. 18-313 ) REPORT AND ORDER AND FURTHER NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING Adopted: April 23, 2020 Released: April 24, 2020 By the Commission: Chairman Pai and Commissioners O’Rielly, Carr, and Starks issuing separate statements; Commissioner Rosenworcel concurring and issuing a statement. Comment Date: (45 days after date of publication in the Federal Register). Reply Comment Date: (75 days after date of publication in the Federal Register). TABLE OF CONTENTS Heading Paragraph # I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 1 II. BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................... 3 III. DISCUSSION ...................................................................................................................................... 14 A. Regulatory Approach to Mitigation of Orbital Debris ................................................................... 15 1. FCC Statutory Authority Regarding Orbital Debris ................................................................ 15 2. Relationship with Other U.S. Government Activities ............................................................. 20 3. Economic Considerations .......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • In the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
    USCA Case #21-1125 Document #1900500 Filed: 05/26/2021 Page 1 of 70 IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT VIASAT, INC., Petitioner, Case No. 21 - 1_________________125 v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, Respondent. VIASAT, INC.’S PROTECTIVE PETITION FOR REVIEW Pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 402(a), 28 U.S.C. §§ 2342(1) and 2344, and Rule 15(a) of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, Viasat, Inc. hereby petitions the Court for review of the final order of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) captioned In the Matter of Space Exploration Holdings, LLC Request for Modification of the Authorization for the SpaceX NGSO Satellite System, Order and Authorization and Order on Reconsideration, IBFS File No. SAT-MOD-20200417-00037, Call Signs S2983/S3018 (rel. Apr. 27, 2021) (Order). A copy of the Order is attached as Exhibit A. Viasat is simultaneously filing a Notice of Appeal of the Order pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 402(b) and (c) and Rule 15(a) of the Federal Rules of Appellate USCA Case #21-1125 Document #1900500 Filed: 05/26/2021 Page 2 of 70 Procedure. As explained in the Notice of Appeal and below, a Notice of Appeal under § 402(b)(6) is the proper vehicle to challenge the Order. In its Order, the Commission grants, subject to certain conditions, the application of Space Exploration Holdings, LLC (SpaceX) for modification of its license for a non- geostationary orbit fixed-satellite service constellation using Ku- and Ka-band spectrum. Order ¶ 1; see also Order ¶ 8 (“Section 25.117 of the Commission’s rules governs the modification of space station licenses.”); 47 C.F.R.
    [Show full text]
  • FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C
    Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20554 ____________________________________ ) Application of ) ) SPACE EXPLORATION HOLDINGS, LLC ) Call Signs: S2983 and S3018 ) For Modification of Authorization for the ) File No. SAT-MOD-20200417-00037 SpaceX NGSO Satellite System ) ____________________________________) CONSOLIDATED OPPOSITION TO PETITIONS AND RESPONSE TO COMMENTS OF SPACE EXPLORATION HOLDINGS, LLC William M. Wiltshire David Goldman Paul Caritj Director, Satellite Policy HARRIS, WILTSHIRE & GRANNIS LLP SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. 1919 M Street, N.W. 1155 F Street, N.W. Suite 800 Suite 475 Washington, DC 20036 Washington, DC 20004 202-730-1300 tel 202-649-2700 tel 202-730-1301 fax 202-649-2701 fax Counsel to SpaceX July 27, 2020 SUMMARY Given the urgency of bringing broadband to every American no matter where they live, SpaceX is proud to be on the cusp of delivering truly high-speed, low-latency service to customers in the United States and around the world, especially those in underserved and unserved areas including in Polar regions. In just over two years since having received its license, SpaceX has launched many hundreds of satellites for its broadband constellation – many hundreds more satellites than any other non-geostationary orbit (“NGSO”) satellite operator authorized in its processing round – and begun to deploy a large-scale ground-based infrastructure. SpaceX operates the satellites currently on-orbit at an altitude of 550 km where the effects of atmospheric drag ensure that orbital debris and any failed satellites de-orbit rapidly. As the Commission has recognized, operating at this low altitude enhances the safety of all systems operating in space.
    [Show full text]
  • Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C
    Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of ) ) Kuiper Systems LLC ) RM-11861 ) Modernization of Section 25.117 of the ) Commission’s Rules for Modifications of ) NGSO FSS Systems ) COMMENTS OF O3B LIMITED O3b Limited (“O3b”) hereby comments on the above-captioned petition for rulemaking filed by Kuiper Systems LLC (“Amazon”) for changes to provisions of Section 25.117 that govern applications for modification of non-geostationary orbit (“NGSO”) fixed-satellite service (“FSS”) systems.1 As discussed below, O3b strongly agrees that the Commission should initiate a proceeding to update the standards in Section 25.117 regarding whether requested changes to an NGSO FSS authorization are sufficiently substantial to require that the system be considered newly filed for processing round purposes. While O3b views some of the rule changes proposed by Amazon as unduly limiting, O3b supports approaches that focus on whether a modification would increase inline events or cause added interference. In addition, O3b concurs that if an applicant has sought multiple changes to its authorization, the Commission must consider the cumulative impact of those changes in deciding how to process the requests. I. BACKGROUND O3b has a strong interest in the issues raised in the Amazon Petition involving the need to revise Section 25.117 to provide clearer guidance to applicants seeking to modify their NGSO 1 Kuiper Systems LLC, Petition for Rulemaking, Modernization of Section 25.117 of the Commission’s Rules for Modifications of NGSO FSS Systems in the New Space Age, RM- 11861, filed July 9, 2020 (“Amazon Petition”). SES Company Use FSS systems and to protect the investments and expectations of established NGSO FSS operators.
    [Show full text]
  • Towards 6G Through Sdn and Nfv-Based Solutions for Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Networks
    TOWARDS 6G THROUGH SDN AND NFV-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR TERRESTRIAL AND NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS A Dissertation Presented to The Academic Faculty By Ahan Kak In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology May 2021 © Ahan Kak 2021 TOWARDS 6G THROUGH SDN AND NFV-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR TERRESTRIAL AND NON-TERRESTRIAL NETWORKS Thesis committee: Dr. Ian F. Akyildiz (Advisor) Dr. Chuanyi Ji School of Electrical and Computer School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (Formerly) Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Institute of Technology Dr. Raghupathy Sivakumar (Chair) Dr. Henry L. Owen School of Electrical and Computer School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Institute of Technology Dr. Mary Ann Weitnauer Dr. Andy Sun School of Electrical and Computer School of Industrial & Systems Engineering Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Institute of Technology Date approved: April 6, 2021 To my family, for their endless love, support, and encouragement. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Ian F. Aky- ildiz. I am extremely grateful to him for giving me the life-changing opportunity of joining his lab. His unparalleled vision and boundless passion have been integral in setting me on the path to academic success. Like a guiding light that shines through stormy seas, Prof. Akyildiz’s limitless wisdom has always led the way forward, even in the most difficult of times. His incredible work ethic has been a constant source of inspiration for me throughout this journey, one that has been greatly enriched by his immense knowledge and extensive experience.
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Register/Vol. 85, No. 143/Friday, July 24, 2020/Rules
    44772 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 143 / Friday, July 24, 2020 / Rules and Regulations List of Subjects certification in both the sanitized and The address to send all trade secrecy unsanitized versions of the claims is posted on the following EPA 40 CFR Part 350 substantiation must bear an original Program websites, http://www.epa.gov/ Environmental protection, signature. epcra and http://www.epa.gov/tri/rfi. Confidential business information, (d) * * * This information can also be obtained Reporting and recordkeeping (2) An owner, operator, or senior by contacting the EPCRA, RMP & Oil requirements. official with management responsibility Information Center at (800) 424–9346 or shall sign the certification stating that 40 CFR Part 355 (703) 348–5070, or https:// those portions of the substantiation www.epa.gov/epcra/forms/contact-us- Environmental protection, Reporting claimed as confidential would, if about-emergency-planning-and- and recordkeeping requirements. disclosed, reveal the chemical identity community-right-know-act-epcra. being claimed as a trade secret, or Dated: July 7, 2020. * * * * * Peter Wright, would reveal other confidential business or trade secret information. Assistant Administrator, Office of Land and PART 355—EMERGENCY PLANNING Emergency Management. This certification is combined on the AND NOTIFICATION substantiation form found on EPA For the reasons stated in the program websites, http://www.epa.gov/ ■ 5. The authority citation for Part 355 preamble, title 40, chapter I of the Code epcra and http://www.epa.gov/tri/rfi, continues to read as follows: of Federal Regulations is amended as with the certification described in follows: Authority: Sections 302, 303, 304, 325, paragraph (c) of this section.
    [Show full text]
  • Treball Final De Grau
    TREBALL FINAL DE GRAU TÍTOL DEL TFG: “Digital gap reduction in rural isolated areas through wideband communications over Low Earth Orbit satellite constellations” TITULACIÓ: Grau en Enginyeria de Sistemes de Telecomunicació AUTOR: Joan Revoltós i Barberà DIRECTOR: Eduard Úbeda i Farré DATA: 8 de juliol de 2021 Título: Reducción de la brecha digital en zonas rurales aisladas mediante comunicaciones de banda ancha vía constelaciones de satélites de órbita baja Autor: Joan Revoltós i Barberà Director: Eduard Úbeda i Farré Fecha: 8 de julio de 2021 Resumen Existe un consenso internacional en considerar el acceso a internet como una necesidad, un derecho que la humanidad necesita asegurar para que, realmente, el desarrollo de los pueblos pueda ser homogéneo, sin diferencias. Sin embargo, incluso en los países más desarrollados la desigualdad de acceso a internet es clara: los lugares más habitados y desarrollados gozan de una conexión estable, fiable, de calidad, mientras los menos habitados y los menos desarrollados carecen de ella, o cuentan con conexiones de calidad inferior en prácticamente todos los aspectos. Los proyectos de constelaciones de órbita baja aparecen de nuevo en el mapa para conectar el mundo, tras años siendo descartados como opción viable, dada la quiebra de numerosos proyectos que años atrás lo intentaron. Esta vez, a diferencia de antes, los avances tecnológicos permiten, presumiblemente, asumir los altos costes económicos que supone tal despliegue, escalándolos además en tamaño, pasando de los 66 satélites de Iridium de principios de siglo a los centenares, miles o decenas de miles de satélites para una sola megaconstelación. En este trabajo de fin de grado, se realiza un análisis sobre dos de los principales proyectos de megaconstelaciones de satélites LEO en sus fases iniciales, StarLink y OneWeb, para evaluar su rendimiento, su cobertura, y la idoneidad de su topología de red, de su diseño.
    [Show full text]
  • Long-Term Effects of Satellite Megaconstellations on the Debris Environment in Low Earth Orbit
    LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF SATELLITE MEGACONSTELLATIONS ON THE DEBRIS ENVIRONMENT IN LOW EARTH ORBIT BY BRIAN PATRICK HARDY THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2020 Urbana, Illinois Adviser: Adjunct Assistant Professor Koki Ho ABSTRACT This thesis examines the potential long-term impacts of satellite megaconstellations in Low Earth Orbit, with a focus on how post-mission disposal rates for megaconstellations will affect their contributions to orbital debris over the next 150 years. A new, medium-fidelity simulation for modeling orbital debris is developed and described, and several test cases are run with SpaceX’s Starlink megaconstellation and varying success rates for post-mission disposal. In cases where Starlink’s post-mission disposal rate is insufficient to prevent debris growth, varying amounts of active debris removal are explored as a potential mitigation measure. It is shown that LEO debris levels will grow at almost double their baseline rate if Starlink meets only the minimum regulatory requirements for post-mission disposal, and even relatively high rates of active debris removal cannot always return the LEO environment to its non-megaconstellation baseline. Still, the potential exists to minimize the debris-generating effects of large megaconstellations like Starlink if post-mission disposal rates of 95% or better can be achieved. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis is the product of many hours of my own research and writing, but above all it is a product of the education, mentorship, and support that I have been fortunate enough to receive from many individuals over the past twenty-four years.
    [Show full text]
  • Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C
    Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of ) ) Space Exploration Holdings, LLC ) RM-11855 ) Petition for Revision of ) Section 25.261 of the Commission’s Rules ) REPLY COMMENTS OF O3B LIMITED Of Counsel: Suzanne Malloy Karis Hastings Vice President of Regulatory Affairs SatCom Law LLC O3b Limited 1317 F Street, NW, Suite 400 1129 20th Street, NW, Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20004 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 599-0975 (202) 813-4026 June 30, 2020 SUMMARY O3b’s pioneering position in building a network that provides capable, reliable connectivity to customers around the globe showcases the success of Commission policies for non-geostationary orbit (“NGSO”) systems and underscores the importance of continuing to adapt the NGSO regulatory framework to support the industry’s evolution and growth. In 2014, O3b began offering service to customers in the United States and worldwide with its Ka-band NGSO system. O3b is continuing to connect historically under- and unconnected populations with the next-generation mPOWER system of high-throughput, low-latency satellites, and is seeking authority to further expand its system to add satellites and capabilities. Given the exponential growth in NGSO system interest in the years since O3b’s operations commenced, O3b agrees that the time is ripe for the Commission to begin a rulemaking to define spectrum sharing rights between NGSO systems authorized in different processing rounds, according superior rights to earlier round systems while providing opportunities for new entrants and system expansion. O3b has developed a comprehensive framework that builds on the existing Commission rules to achieve these goals.
    [Show full text]
  • FCC-21-48A1.Pdf
    Federal Communications Commission FCC 21-48 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of ) ) Space Exploration Holdings, LLC ) IBFS File No. SAT-MOD-20200417- ) 00037 Request for Modification of the Authorization ) for the SpaceX NGSO Satellite System ) Call Signs S2983 and S3018 ORDER AND AUTHORIZATION AND ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION Adopted: April 23, 2021 Released: April 27, 2021 By the Commission: TABLE OF CONTENTS Heading Paragraph # I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 1 II. BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................... 2 III. DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................................................ 7 A. Public Interest Determination .......................................................................................................... 8 B. Radiofrequency Interference .......................................................................................................... 14 1. Interference to Other NGSO Systems and Processing Round Placement ............................... 15 a. Modifications and the Significant Interference Standard ................................................. 16 b. Analysis of Overall NGSO Interference Environment ..................................................... 19 2. Interference into
    [Show full text]
  • Kuiper Systems LLC for ) File No
    Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, DC 20554 Application of Kuiper Systems LLC for ) File No. SAT-LOA- _______ Authority to Launch and Operate a ) Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit System ) Call Sign in Ka-band Frequencies ) APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY TO LAUNCH AND OPERATE A NON-GEOSTATIONARY SATELLITE ORBIT SYSTEM IN KA-BAND FREQUENCIES Jennifer D. Hindin C. Andrew Keisner Madeleine M. Lottenbach Lead Counsel WILEY REIN LLP Kuiper Systems LLC 1776 K Street, NW 410 Terry Avenue N Washington, DC 20006 Seattle, WA 98109 Counsel for Kuiper Systems LLC July 4, 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. i I. COMPANY BACKGROUND ............................................................................................1 II. SYSTEM DESCRIPTION ...................................................................................................2 III. GRANT OF THIS APPLICATION WILL SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST ................6 A. The Kuiper System Will Help Close the Digital Divide in the United States and Globally....................................................................................................................6 B. The Kuiper System Will Help Enterprise Customers and Grow Local Economies 8 C. The Kuiper System Will Enable Greater Access To Government Services and Support Public Protection and Disaster Relief.......................................................10 IV. SPECTRUM ACCESS AND SHARING WITH OTHER
    [Show full text]
  • Fcc-20-102A1
    Federal Communications Commission FCC 20-102 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of ) ) Kuiper Systems, LLC ) IBFS File No. SAT-LOA-20190704-00057 ) Application for Authority to Deploy and Operate a ) Call Sign S3051 Ka-band Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit System ) ORDER AND AUTHORIZATION Adopted: July 29, 2020 Released: July 30, 2020 By the Commission: I. INTRODUCTION 1. In this Order and Authorization, we grant, to the extent set forth below, the request of Kuiper Systems LLC (Kuiper or Amazon) to deploy a non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) system to provide service using certain Fixed-Satellite Service (FSS) and Mobile-Satellite Service (MSS) Ka-band frequencies with conditions adopted herein. 2. Specifically, we grant Kuiper’s application for authority to deploy and operate its NGSO FSS system in the 17.7-17.8 GHz, 17.8-18.6 GHz, 18.8-19.3 GHz, 19.3-19.7 GHz, 19.7-20.2 GHz, 27.5- 28.6 GHz, 28.6-29.1 GHz, 29.1-29.5 GHz, and 29.5-30.0 GHz bands, and to provide MSS, in addition to FSS, in the 19.7-20.2 GHz and 29.5-30.0 GHz bands, and to use MSS feeder links in the 19.4-19.6 GHz and 29.1-29.5 GHz bands, subject to certain conditions. We deny Kuiper’s request for a waiver of the Commission’s processing round rules, include Kuiper’s application in the March 2020 Processing Round,1 and address certain other requests. In granting Kuiper’s application, we address concerns expressed in the record and deny the petition to dismiss or defer filed by SES Americom, Inc.
    [Show full text]