The reflector malfunction on Viasat's newly launched ViaSat-3 Americas satellite (see 2307130003) could have a "pronounced effect" on the company's overall growth trajectory as the satellite was to bring exponentially more network capacity to its already capacity-constrained existing satellites, S&P Global said Monday. It now appears unlikely Viasat will return to subscriber growth in the next couple of years, S&P Global said.
Since SpaceX's proposed operations in the VHF band (see 2212160006) could mean large exclusion zones where commercial service in the band consistently receives interference, the FCC should grant SpaceX's proposed operations on only a noninterference basis, Myriota said Friday in docket 22-271, recapping a meeting with Space Bureau staff. SpaceX didn't comment.
A problem with a reflector on ViaSat-3 Americas "may materially impact" the satellite's performance, Viasat said Wednesday. The reflector event happened during deployment, it said. Viasat said it's looking at contingency plans to minimize the economic effect, including redeploying satellites from Viasat’s fleet to optimize global coverage, and reallocating a subsequent ViaSat-3 class satellite to provide additional Americas bandwidth. “We’re disappointed by the recent developments,” said CEO Mark Dankberg. “We’re working closely with the reflector’s manufacturer to try to resolve the issue." ViaSat-3 Americas' service priority is growing the company's North American broadband service, and Viasat said the reflector problem isn't disrupting customers and isn't affecting coverage or capacity of the Viasat or Inmarsat constellations in service now. ViaSat-3 launched at the end of April (see 2305010013).
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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).
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.