Concerns About SpaceX's Lower-Orbit Plans Unaddressed, Critics Say

August 11, 2020 by Matt Daneman|Satellite

Challengers to SpaceX's ask to move 2,824 broadband satellites to a lower orbit (see 2004200003) told the FCC International Bureau the company hasn't resolved concerns. OneWeb said in a reply posting Friday SpaceX hasn't shown its system won't cause uplink interference to OneWeb Ka-band operations, and any OK of SpaceX's license modification should include limits on what kind of interference protection SpaceX can claim for its gateway earth stations. Kuiper said SpaceX hasn't tackled the safety concerns stemming from the orbital overlap between large non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) constellations. It said the proposed changes create a new operating environment, meaning the redesign should be considered as part of the 2020 processing round. SES/O3b said "the radical changes" should be treated as newly filed. It said SpaceX also apparently moved from its original plan to use phased array antennas to communicate with its Ka-band gateway earths stations, and if it hasn't disclosed this material fact, that "reflect[s] on the truth and accuracy of SpaceX's statements." Dish Network said SpaceX hasn't provided an equivalent power flux density (EPFD) analysis to show its 12 GHz band NGSO fixed satellite service operations won't interfere with standard DBS reference antennas. DirecTV parent AT&T said the FCC should make SpaceX show compliance with globally recognized EPFD limits before it starts operations and impose appropriate license conditions to ensure continuing compliance with DBS interference protection requirements. Noting opposition came from many, Kepler said the modification is introducing "a plethora of problems to the physical and frequency interference environments" and approval must be conditioned on protecting existing operators in close physical proximity. SpaceX says much opposition was from "competitors whose deployment lags behind that of SpaceX," and they "raise no genuine issues of space safety or interference concerns, but rather rely on competitive gamesmanship."