WPC8 2HBVX@Z3|P (TT).7PC2XXP\  P6QXP"5@^2CRdd$CCdq2C28dddddddddd88qqqYzoCNzoozzC8C^dCYdYdYCdd88d8ddddCN8ddddY`(`l2CC!CCPRCddYYYYYYzYzYzYzYC8C8C8C8ddddddddddYdddddoddYYYYYzYzYzYddddddPdCdCCCdNdz8zRdddCRoNoNNF2[dCYddddd7>d<d<CCYYdCCddCYCdYzzzzCCCCqodYYYYYYYYYYY8888dddddddndddddddHP LaserJet 4room 500 LPT2HPLAS4.WRSSXP\  P6Q,,$1PXP2J (z@X:  X4  #C\  P6QP#X01Í ÍX01Í Í#XP\  P6QXP#"5@^*7DSS77S^*7*.SSSSSSSSSS..^^^Jxooxf]xx7Axfxx]xo]fxxxxf7.7NS7JSJSJ7SS..S.SSSS7A.SSxSSJP!PZ*7777CE7SSxJxJxJxJxJooJfJfJfJfJ7.7.7.7.xSxSxSxSxSxSxSxSxSxSxJxSxSxSxSxS]SxSxJxJoJoJoJfJfJfJxSxSxxSxSxSxSCS7S777SAxSf.fExSxSxSxo7oE]A]AN:*LS7JSSSSS.4}}S2S}277JJS77SS7J72t7[[[[^ee*C`^.wRSSn[Cfx`xWlRx[][ceIfIs`Wx[rriwge*7DSS77S^*7*.SSSSSSSSSS..^^^Jxooxf]xx7Axfxx]xo]fxxxxf7.7NS7JSJSJ7SS..S.SSSS7A.SSxSSJP!PZ7SJSS7]777JJ:S7A7xx*7SSSS!S7.S^7SC[227`L*724S}}}Jxxxxxxoffff7777xxxxxxx^xxxxxx]SJJJJJJoJJJJJ....SSSSSSS[SSSSSSS.37PC2XXP\  P6QXP.y.C8*XC\  P6QP2Psq7cddnCzshcnonvyXzXshn~|y3|P 2 @| @  @"5@^(C<((((01(<CW]]](<d<d<CCYYdCCddCYCdYzzzzCCCCqodYYYYYYYYYYY8888dddddddndddddddHP LaserJet 4room 500 LPT2HPLAS4.WRSSXP\  P6Q,,$1PXP X4  #C\  P6QP#X01Í ÍX01Í Í#XP\  P6Q DXP#"5@^*7DSS77S^*7*.SSSSSSSSSS..^^^Jxooxf]xx7Axfxx]xo]fxxxxf7.7NS7JSJSJ7SS..S.SSSS7A.SSxSSJP!PZ*7777CE7SSxJxJxJxJxJooJfJfJfJfJ7.7.7.7.xSxSxSxSxSxSxSxSxSxSxJxSxSxSxSxS]SxSxJxJoJoJoJfJfJfJxSxSxxSxSxSxSCS7S777SAxSf.fExSxSxSxo7oE]A]AN:*LS7JSSSSS.4}}S2S}277JJS77SS7J72t7[[[[^ee*C`^.wRSSn[Cfx`xWlRx[][ceIfIs`Wx[rriwge*7DSS77S^*7*.SSSSSSSSSS..^^^Jxooxf]xx7Axfxx]xo]fxxxxf7.7NS7JSJSJ7SS..S.SSSS7A.SSxSSJP!PZ7SJSS7]777JJ:S7A7xx*7SSSS!S7.S^7SC[227`L*724S}}}Jxxxxxxoffff7777xxxxxxx^xxxxxx]SJJJJJJoJJJJJ....SSSSSSS[SSSSSSS26*@6@v @#@&"5@^2Coddȧ8CCdr2C28ddddddddddCCrrrdzNdzoȐC8CtdCdoYoYCdo8Co8odooYNCodddYO,Oh2CC!CCPRCdodddddȐYYYYYN8N8N8N8oddddooooddoddddzodddYYYYYYddddooPoNoNCNodo8RoodȐYYoNoNNF2ldCddddddd<d<CCoodCCddCoCddzzzzzzzzzzCCCCozdddddddYYYYY8888dddddddndddddYd"5@^*A]SS.77S_*7*.SSSSSSSSSS77___SoooxooxASofxxfxo]fxooff7.7_S7SSJSJ7S]..S.]SSSAA.]JoSJA:%:_*7777CE7SSoSoSoSoSoSxoJoJoJoJoJA.A.A.A.x]xSxSxSxSx]x]x]x]fJoSxSxSxSfJxSfSoSoSoSoJoJoJoJoJoJxSxSxxSxS]]CSASA7ASSoSf.fEx]x]xSxoAoE]A]AN:*SSASSSSSS,2}}S2}}S}277SSS77SS7S72t7[[[[eee*C`_.wRSSn[Cfx`xWlRx[][ceIfIs`Wx[rriwge*A]SS.77S_*7*.SSSSSSSSSS77___SoooxooxASofxxfxo]fxooff7.7_S7SSJSJ7S]..S.]SSSAA.]JoSJA:%:_7SSSS7]777SS:S7A7xf*ASSSS%S7},Se7}SC[227`S*722S}}}SoooooooooooAAAAxxxxxxx_xxxxxffSSSSSSSxJJJJJ....S]SSSSS[S]]]]JS.=7PC2X DXP\  P6QXP.>y.C8*XC\  P6QPl?7UC2XxXU4  pQX.JW!0(X h0\  P6QhP .KI(!XI,(\  P6Q,PL{,C8*X3,C*f9 xQXlMy.G8*XG4  pQI5PC2X3EXP*f9 xQXX Nz-E8*XRE9 xyQb x/d8SXvXd{2 PQPP6RC2XR>BXR9 xyQXlW!3(Xh34  pQhP#X01Í Í28 X'i0 yO'  #C\  P6QP#FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION #XP\  P6Q DXP#   \yxxdddyi` `  hhCqpp  *xxX DA 981057  X'`* Before the x Federal Communications Commission  X'-Washington, D.C. 20554 \ In the Matter of Assignment of Orbital Locations to Space Stations in the Domestic FixedSatellite Service In the matter of the Applications of  X 4AT&T CORP. hhCqFile Nos.48DSSLA94 ` `  hhCqpp62SATAMEND95 ` `  hhCqpp63/64/65SATP/LA95  X4ECHOSTAR SATELLITE CORPORATIONpp36DSSLA94 ` `  hhCqpp37DSSP/LA94 ` `  hhCqpp154SATAMEND95  XK4GE AMERICAN COMMUNICATIONS, INC.pp69/70/71SATP/LA95 ` `  hhCqpp19DSSP/LA94 ` `  hhCqpp31SATAMEND95  X4HUGHES COMMUNICATIONS GALAXY, INC.pp5DSSP/LA95 ` `  hhCqpp67SATAMEND95 ` `  hhCqpp68SATP/LA95 ` `  hhCqpp12SATMISC96  X4LORAL SPACE AND COMMUNICATIONS, LTD.pp72/73SATP/LA95 ` `  hhCqpp137SATP95 ` `  hhCqpp100/101SATAMEND96  Xe4ORION NETWORK SYSTEMS, INC.qpp74SATP/LA95 and In the Matter of the Application of  X4GE AMERICAN COMMUNICATIONS, INC.pp 40SATMP/ML97 Request for Extension of Construction and Launch Milestones for GE3  XQ%'|  MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER Đ\  X#'4Adopted: June 5, 1998 hhCqppReleased: June 5, 1998"#'0*((PP%"Ԍ X4ԙBy the Chief, International Bureau:  X'Y Introduction Đ\  X41.` ` By this Order, we grant in part the petition for reconsideration of the  Vv4Assignment of Orbital Locations to Space Stations in the Domestic FixedSatellite Service  X_4("1996 Assignment Order")_ {O'ԍXAssignment of Orbital Locations to Space Stations in the Domestic FixedSatellite Service, 11 F.C.C.  {O 'Rcd. 13788 (1996) ("1996 Assignment Order").(# filed by GE American Communications, Inc. ("GE Americom")"_$ {O4 'ԍXSee GE Americom Petitions for Reconsideration, File numbers 48DSSLA94, 62SATAMEND95, 63/64/65SATP/LA95, 36DSSLA94, 37DSSP/LA94, 154SATAMEND95, 69/70/71SATP/LA95, 5DSSP/LA95, 67SATAMEND95, 68SATP/LA95, 72/73SATP/LA95, 137SATP95, 74 yO 'SATP/LA95 (filed December 23, 1996) ("Petition for Reconsideration"). (#ƭ  XJ4by reassigning the GE3 satellite from 67o W.L. to the 81o W.L. orbital location.dJ yO 'ԍXThe satellite identified here as GE3 was authorized for service at the 67o W.L. orbital location in May  {O'1996. See 1996 Assignment Order. Subsequently, GE Americom renamed its GE4 spacecraft  yO'(authorized for service at 87o W.L.) GE3 to maintain its numbering sequence. The GE3 spacecraft we refer to in this order has not officially been assigned a new name by GE Americom. This Order,  yO+'however, will continue to refer to the satellite licensed at 67o W.L. as GE3.(#d We also  X34grant GE Americom's separate request for extending the implementation of milestones for GE3, to the extent indicated below.  X '[ Background Đ\  X 42.` ` In May 1996, we authorized six applicants to construct, launch, and operate eleven Cband and/or Kuband domestic fixedsatellites ("domsats") and assigned them to  X{4specific orbit locations.L{  {O'#Xj\  PG; DXP# I. A. 1. a.(1)(a) i) a) I. A. 1. a.(1)(a) i) a)#X\  PG;P##C\  P6QP#эXSee 1996 Assignment Order. In November 1996, we issued the opinions for these satellite  {O'authorizations. See AT&T Corp., 11 F.C.C. Rcd. 15038 (1996); EchoStar Satellite Corporation, 11  {O'F.C.C. Rcd. 20446 (1996); GE American Communications, Inc., 11 F.C.C. Rcd. 15030 (1996) ("1996  {OJ'GE Americom Opinion"); Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc., 11 F.C.C. Rcd. 116425 (1996); Loral  {O 'Space & Communications, Ltd., 11 F.C.C. Rcd. 20441 (1996); and Orion Network Systems, Inc., 11  {O 'F.C.C. Rcd. 20434 (1996) ("1996 Domsat Opinions").#C\  P6QP# For purposes of this opinion, the Cband encompasses the 37004200/59256425 MHz frequency bands and the Kuband encompasses the 11.712.2/1414.5 GHz bands. (# Included in that order was the authorization and assignment of GE"{0*&&PP"  X4Americom's GE3 hybrid C/Kuband satellite to the 67o W.L. orbital location. X yOy'ԍXWe assigned GE3 to this location in the eastern portion of the orbital arc based on GE Americom's  yOA'representation that it would serve, in part, as replacement for Satcom Ku2, currently located at 81o W.L.(#  GE  X4Americom filed a petition for reconsideration of the 1996 Assignment Order requesting, among other things, a different orbit location for GE3. GE Americom proposed an  X4alternative orbit assignment plan that reassigned GE3 to 129o W.L. and involved multiple  X4reassignments of other satellites as well. {O? 'ԍXSee GE Americom Petition for Reconsideration at Exhibit A.(# AT&T Corp., EchoStar Satellite Corporation, Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc., and Loral Space & Communications, Ltd. filed oppositions. GE Americom later filed a request to extend the milestone requirements for GE3 in light of its pending petition for reconsideration. No oppositions to this request were filed.  X '_* Discussion Đ\  X ' A.` ` Reassignment of GE3  X 43.` ` In adopting the 1996 Assignment Plan, as with prior domsat processing round  X4authorizations, we allowed satellite licensees to request reassignment.z {O'#X\  P6G;P#эSee 1996 Assignment Order at  11.#X\  P6G;P#Ѫ Specifically, the 1996  X4Assignment Order states that "we will entertain requests for changes in the orbital assignments made today if they are consistent with the basic structure of our assignment plan and are agreed by all, or at least most, of the satellite operators affected by the change. . . . Satellite operators may apply for reassignment to all locations that remain available after today's order.  X%4. . . Any alternative orbital arrangement, including requests for any unassigned orbital  X4locations, may be presented to the Commission for approval within 30 days . . . ."X01Í ÍX0Í Í F {O'#C\  P6QP#эXId.#XP\  P6Q DXP#(#Ɛ  X44.` ` GE Americom filed a timely request for reassignment of its GE3 satellite.  X4Specifically, GE Americom requests that we reassign GE3 to 129o W.L., which was assigned  X4to another licensee in the 1996 Assignment Order. To accommodate GE3 at 129o W.L., GE  X4Americom proposes an alternative orbit assignment plan that would require every satellite operator licensed in the processing round to relocate at least one of its newly assigned satellites. In light of the objections of the affected licensees, we will not authorize a wholesale revision of our orbital assignment plan. Nor will we authorize any smaller scale  XA4revisions simply to accommodate GE3 at 129o W.L. without the agreement of all affected licensees. Nevertheless, we recognize GE Americom's dissatisfaction with its assignment to"*0*&&PP"  X467o W.L. As stated in the 1996 Assignment Order, we attempt to accommodate a licensee's request for reassignment when doing so does not affect other licensees.  X45.` ` The 81o W.L. orbit location is unassigned and available immediately for a  X4hybrid C/Kuband satellite. We will reassign GE3 from 67o W.L. to 81o W.L. This action will also permit the Commission to resolve, in an expeditious manner, coordination issues that  Xx4have arisen with respect to the Sim;n Bol1var Andean satellite system, which is also assigned  Xc4to 67o W.L. by the Andean countries.| cF {O'#C\  P6QP#эXThe Sim;n Bol1var Andean satellite system is owned by a consortium of 44 companies from the Andean Community of Nations. It is represented by the countries of Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and  {On 'Venezuela. See letter from Veronica Pastor, Wilkinson, Barker, Knauer & Quinn, LLP, Counsel for  {O8 'Sim;n Bol1var, to Tom Tycz, Chief, Satellite and Radiocommunication Division, International Bureau  yO '(April 13, 1998).#XP\  P6Q DXP#(#| Accordingly, and in light of GE Americom's desire for an alternative orbit assignment and the availability of another hybrid orbit location from  X54which it can serve the United States, reassignment to the unassigned 81o W.L. orbit location will serve the public interest. We defer action on the remaining issues raised in GE Americom's petition for reconsideration.  X ' B.` ` Request for Milestone Extension  X 46.` ` GE Americom also requests an extension of its construction, launch, and  X4operation milestones for GE3 in light of its petition for reconsideration.E ~F {O'#C\  P6QP#эXSee GE Americom Communications, Inc., Request for Extension of Construction and Launch Milestones  yO'for GE3, File No. 40SATMP/ML97 (filed January 30, 1997). #C\  P6QP#(#E Specifically, it would like three years following the resolution of its petition for reconsideration to construct  Xf4and launch GE3.= fF yO'#C\  P6QP#эXGE Americom requests that we adopt the following revised construction and launch schedule, to commence after the issues in its Petition for Reconsideration regarding the appropriate orbital assignment for GE3 is resolved: Construction Commenced: 90 days after reconsideration is completed; Construction Completed: 30 months after construction commencement; Launch: 33 months  yO'after construction commencement.#XP\  P6Q DXP#(#= It asserts that it cannot reasonably proceed with system implementation  XO4while issues concerning its request for an alternative orbit location remain unresolved.  X!47.` ` A petition for reconsideration does not justify delaying milestone  X 4requirements. s   F {OC"'#C\  P6QP#эX See, e.g., letter from James R. Keegan, Chief, Domestic Facilities Division, Common Carrier Bureau, to Henry Goldberg, Goldberg & Spector, regarding National Exchange Satellite, Inc.'s ("NEXSAT") Spotnet 1 and Spotnet 2 Domestic Fixed Satellites (June 7, 1990) (a request for orbit reassignment is  {O$'not alone an excuse for failing to meet construction milestones). See also National Exchange Satellite,  {Og%'Inc., 3 F.C.C. Rcd. 6992 (1988) ("Authorization Order"). (#s Otherwise, licensees might file petitions for reconsideration simply to suspend" > 0*&&PP" milestones requirements and, thereby, "warehouse" orbital locations. Even if we accept GE Americom's assertion of uncertainty regarding its ultimate orbit assignment, it would still be able to begin the construction process by entering into a contract with a spacecraft  X4manufacturer and order long leadtime parts and services, among other things. Nevertheless, in the interest of fairness, we will allow GE Americom 60 days from the release of this Order  X4to enter into a construction contract, if it has not done so already. GE Americom's request for an additional three years to construct and launch GE3 following the resolution of its petition for reconsideration, however, is excessive, and it fails to justify the need for this length of  XH4time. Thus, we extend GE Americom's milestone schedule as set forth in paragraph 10. This  X14timetable corresponds to the amount of time granted to satisfy milestones in the 1996 GE  X 4Americom Opinion. We remind GE Americom that failure to meet these implementation milestones will render its license for GE3 null and void.  X ' C.` ` Interference Issues  X 48.` ` We recognize in assigning GE3 to the 81o W.L. orbit location, the satellite will be two degrees away from Echostar Satellite Corporation's EchoStar 1 satellite located at  X}483o W.L. GE Americom and EchoStar are currently involved in a coordination dispute  Xf4involving GE5 at 85o W.L. and EchoStar 1 at 83o W.L. Nevertheless, we continue to believe that GE Americom and EchoStar should be able to reach coordination agreements involving  X84EchoStar 1 and the adjacent GE Americom satellites. 8F {O'#C\  P6QP#эXSee AT&T Corp., 5 F.C.C. Rcd. 5590, 5591 (1990) ("We expect domestic satellite operators to resolve potential interference problems.").(# We encourage and prefer satellite operators to resolve coordination difficulties, since they can best weigh the technical and  X 4economic tradeoffs involved in a coordination. "F {O'#C\  P6QP#эXSee, e.g., GE American Communications, Inc., 3 F.C.C. Rcd. 6871 (1988).#XP\  P6Q DXP#(# If the parties, after good faith efforts, cannot resolve their differences, the Commission will dictate a solution. Because it appears that both the EchoStar and GE Americom satellites will not be operating within the Commission's two degree spacing parameters, a Commissionimposed resolution will likely involve technical constraints on both parties.  Xi' F Ordering Clauses Đ\  X;49.` ` Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the GE American Communications, Inc.  X$4Petition for Reconsideration, Assignment of Orbital Locations to Space Stations in the  X4Domestic FixedSatellite Service, 11 F.C.C. Rcd. 13788 (1996), IS GRANTED IN PART and  X4Assignment of Orbital Locations to Space Stations in the Domestic FixedSatellite Service, 11  X4F.C.C. Rcd. 13788 (1996), IS MODIFIED to reassign GE American Communications, Inc.'s  X 4authorization for the GE3 satellite from the 67o W.L. orbit location to the 81o W.L. orbit" 0*&&PP" location.  X4 10.` ` IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that GE American Communications, Inc.'s, Request for Extension of Construction and Launch Milestones, File No. 40SATMP/ML97, IS GRANTED to the extent set forth below, and the schedule for implementation of the GE3  X4satellite specified in paragraph 20 in GE American Communications, Inc., 11 F.C.C. Rcd. 15030 (1996) IS MODIFIED as follows:  XJ4` ` Construction CommencedqConstruction Completed  *Launch  X 4X` hp x (#%'0*,.8135@8: