Attachment GTD LETTER

GTD LETTER

DECISION submitted by INTESEL NORTH AMERICA LLC

GRANT LETTER

2004-09-30

This document pretains to SAT-MOD-20040727-00148 for Modification on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATMOD2004072700148_398484

July 27,2004 Ms. Marlene H. Dortch Secretary Federal Communications Commission 236 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E. Suite 110 Washington, D.C. 20002 Re: Intelsat LLC Request for Extensior of Launch Milestone Date for IA-8; Call Sign S2 160; File No. SAT-MOD-20030 ;07-00097 Dear Ms. Dortch: Intelsat North America LLC (“Intelsat”), F irsuant to Section 25.1 17(e) of the Federal Communications Commission’s (“Commission” c . “FCC”) rules, hereby requests an extension of the launch milestone date for the Intelsat Amer: bas (IA-8) satellite (formerly known as Telstar-8).’ Specifically, Intelsat requests that the milestone be extended for six months until March 30, 2005. As verified below, this an extension of the launch milestone is necessary due to unforeseeable circumstances control. In addition, grant of the requested extension would serve the public \ The Commission originally authorized Lor 1 SpaceCom Corporation (“Loral”) to launch and operate the former Telstar-8 satellite.* On Oct ber 27,2003, the International Bureau issued an order granting Loral extensions of both the con and launch milestone dates for the ~atellite.~ The satellite’s current launch milestone 30, 2004.4 On March 17,2004, 4 Intelsat has filed this request and an FCC Form 3 2 electronically via the International Bureau’s Filing System. Intelsat has sent an FCC orm 159 with fee code “CRY” and a check in the amount of $705.00 to Mellon Bank in Pittsburg/h. 2 Loral Space & Communications Ltd., Memorandum Opinion and Order, 11 FCC Rcd 20441 (Int’l Bur. 1996). Loral SpaceCom Corporation, Application for ModiJication of Fixed Satellite Service Space Station Request for Extension of Milestones and Waiver or Petition for Opinion and Order, 18 FCC Rcd 2 1851 (Int’l Bur. 2003). Id. at para. 14.

Ms. Marlene Dortch, Secretary July 27, 2004 Page 2 Intelsat acquired the Telstar 8 satellite from Loral dnd renamed it Intelsat Americas 8 (IA-8): As discussed below, good cause exists to extend thb IA-8 launch milestone until March 30, 2005. Intelsat is hlly committed to launching an the IA-8 satellite. Construction of the satellite is complete.6 However, due to Intelsat’s control recently encountered by Sea Launch which is the launch provider for IA-8, the satellite’s and will not occur by the current September 30,2004 1 On June 29,2004 (GMT), a Sea Launch Ze it-3SL launch vehicle lifted off from the company’s equatorial launch site carrying Loral’s elstar- 18 communications ~atellite.~ The upper stage of the launch vehicle, however, shut d wn about 54 seconds early, which caused the satellite to be released into an orbit approximately 4,000 km short of the 35,786 km target apogee.8 The cause of the premature shutdown of he upper stage is under investigation by Sea i Launch.’ Until that investigation has been comple d, Sea Launch has temporarily halted launches aboard the Zenit-3SL rocket, including th launch of IA-8. Although Sea Launch has indicated that it currently expects to complete the I -8 launch this year, and has indicated a tentative launch date of 3 1 October 2004, the actua launch date will depend on the results of the Telstar- 1 8 anomaly investigation, including clear d termination of the root cause of the anomaly as well as the implementation of the appropriate co ective actions. The anomaly investigation has just been initiated by Sea Launch and Intelsat c predict how long this process will take. 2004), available at http://www.boeinrz.com/news/re..eases/2004/q3/nr 040702m.html; See also Loral News Release, Loral-Built Telstar 18 Satellite Launched (“Boeing News Release”); Satellite to Achieve Its Specified Life (dated June 29, 2004), available at http://www.loral.com/inthenews/O4O629. html.

Ms. Marlene Dortch, Secretary July 27,2004 Page 3 For these reasons, Intelsat seeks a six-month exten ion to account for a possible further slip in the launch schedule. Because this problem concerning the launch vehicle was clearly outside of Intelsat’s control, the six-month launch sought herein is warranted.“ As noted above, the satellite is complete to launch it in August until the launch vehicle problem described the Telstar- 18 launch. Thus, this request does not raise a warehousing concern. For the reasons stated above, Intelsat LLC requests that the Commission extend the launch milestone for the IA-8 satellite Should the Commission staff have any questions concerning this request, D. Hindin of Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP at (202) 719-4975. Resp4tfully submitted, l o 47 C.F.R. 25.1 17(e). The Commission has quests for milestone extensions “when the delay in implementation is due to circums ond the control of the licensee.” American Telephone and Telegraph Company ation for Modijcation of Construction Permit and License for the Telstar 402 Satell cd 2607,2607 (1994) (Order and Authorization); See GE American Communi equest for Extension of Time to Construct, Launch, and Operate a Ka-band in the Fixed-Satellite Service, 16 FCC Rcd 11038 (2001) (Order and Authori instance where the Commission has denied a milestone extension request, const of the satellite either had not begun or was not continuing, thus raising questions regar intention to proceed.”). 11 The Commission’s policy of requiring a ne schedule is intended to prevent orbital locations from being ‘ware while they decide whether to proceed with their plans. Application of ications, Inc. For Orbital Reassignment and for Modijication of A t and Launch the Satcom H-1 Domestic Fixed Satellite, 7 FCC Rcd 5 169,5 170 (1/992) (Memorandum Opinion and Order).


Document Created: 2004-10-01 07:48:27
Document Modified: 2004-10-01 07:48:27
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