Swarm plans to launch 16 satellites Feb. 20 on an Astra Rocket 3, it told the FCC International Bureau Thursday. Fifteen will have propulsion capabilities and one won't, it said. The 16 will have operational altitudes of 300 km to 525 km, it said.
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AST has agreements and memorandums of understanding signed with mobile network operators with 1.5 billion subscribers, it told FCC International Bureau Chief Tom Sullivan, discussing the status of its planned SpaceMobile constellation for satellite-based mobile connectivity. In a filing Thursday, it said construction of its satellite operations center and network operations is underway in Lanham, Maryland.
OneWeb and Hughes/Bharti Airel's Hughes Communications India signed a six-year distribution partner agreement for providing low earth orbit connectivity services across India. Under the agreement announced Thursday, the joint venture will deliver services to enterprise and government customers using OneWeb capacity, with a focus on areas lacking fiber connectivity.
Viaast rolled out large-aperture, 19.7 to 24 meter antennas for use in space-to-ground communications for upcoming Earth observation missions, missions to the Moon, Mars and other deep space and DOD initiatives. It said Thursday features include full-motion pedestals with tracking to support multi-orbit missions and an integrated RF architecture to allow operation from the L band to above Ka band.
The launch date for the first satellite in Lynk Global's small satellite system was delayed to April due to launch provider technical issues, company representatives told the FCC International Bureau in a filing Wednesday. Lynk said it needs its pending smallsat application approved by January's end to integrate the satellite into the launch vehicle.
An interference analysis shows SpaceX's planned non-geostationary orbit system would operate in excess of applicable equivalent power flux density limits and create notable potential for harmful interference to Ka-band geostationary satellite orbit systems operating on a primary, interference-protected basis, Hughes told the FCC International Bureau in a filing Tuesday. The analysis, done by RFK Engineering, says NGSO modifications such as lowering the altitude of 4,408 satellites and doubling the number of satellites that can communicate with a gateway earth station would result in a significant increase in downlink interference to GSO systems. Hughes also again urged consolidation of a pending petition to reconsider a license modification given SpaceX and an application to modify Kuiper's satellite system (see 2111230008), saying both involve similarly situated licensees and share core issues that should be resolved based upon commonly applicable agency precedent. SpaceX didn't comment.
Ligado, working through spectrum brokerage Select Spectrum, is marketing its 1.6 GHz spectrum with a focus on localized access for projects like power grid modernization and advanced transportation initiatives, it said Tuesday. “We know the critical infrastructure sector has an urgent need for dedicated access to licensed spectrum, and our mid-band spectrum, with both satellite and terrestrial connectivity, is uniquely positioned to meet this need," CEO Doug Smith said.
Umbra's Umbra-02 satellite was launched Thursday on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and is operating within the terms and conditions of the FCC authorization for part of its proposed earth exploration satellite service constellation (see 2112170002), the company told the International Bureau Sunday.
The FCC International Bureau granted Amazon Kuiper's request for more time to file pleadings in the pending authorization of SpaceX's second-generation constellation (see 2201110006). In an order Thursday, the deadline was extended from Jan. 24 to Feb. 8.
SiriusXM bought Cloud Cover Media, a provider of ad-free music-for-business services, it said Thursday. It will add Cloud Cover Music to a “portfolio” that already includes SiriusXM and Pandora music-for-businesses offerings.