Harbinger Capital and SkyTerra's former owners and management agreed to stay Harbinger's $1.9 billion fraud complaint (see 1712270012) through this calendar year, with a status conference scheduled for Jan. 2, said a New York State Supreme Court docket 657515-2017 filing Wednesday.
Self-described "private space agency" SpaceChain put its first blockchain node satellite into orbit, it said Friday. It said SpaceChain uses an open-source platform that allows developers anywhere to design apps that can employ orbital communications capabilities. It said it plans to launch two more low earth orbit satellites this year.
A tech industry-backed study showing Wi-Fi can coexist with primary users in the 5.925-7.125 GHz band (see 1801260043) fails to show mid-band use by terrestrial services won't raise the risk of unacceptable interference in the 7.025-7.075 GHz band to Sirius XM's feeder links, the company told International Bureau members, according to a docket 17-183 ex parte filing posted Thursday. It said it's preparing its own analysis of interference risks to the Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) feeder link frequencies that will be submitted when done. Sirius said its own initial review of the tech industry study found analysis defects that call into question the conclusions -- for example, no analysis of potential interference specific to the SDARS' unique characteristics. The tech industry study also focuses only on aggregate interference from terrestrial services to the satellite-received signal quality, ignoring the possibility a meaningful number of terrestrial devices located near Sirius XM feeder link sites on the ground could interfere with SDARS fleet uplinks. It said it doesn't object to sharing its feeder link spectrum with fixed service licensees since that makes coordination with Sirius feeder link sites possible. Outside counsel for the tech companies didn't comment Friday.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court summary judgment in favor of Ace American Insurance that it has no duty to defend or indemnify Dish Network in a Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) telemarketing lawsuit. In the docket 17-1140 decision (in Pacer) Wednesday, the appellate court agreed TCPA statutory damages were civil penalties and uninsurable under Colorado law and the insurance policies don't cover injunctive relief. Ruling were Judges Carlos Lucero, Monroe McKay and Carolyn McHugh, with McHugh writing the decision. Dish didn't comment Thursday.
Two test satellites for SpaceX's planned Starllink broadband satellite constellation were successfully launched on SpaceX Falcon 9, CEO Elon Musk tweeted (see here and here) Thursday. They are called Tintin A and B, he said.
DirecTV should discontinue some advertised claims about its DBS service, the National Advertising Division (NAD) said Thursday. It said Charter Communications challenged claims in five print and online ads, including multiple claims of "worry-free signal reliability." NAD said DirecTV indicated it plans to appeal.
OneWeb is backing ViaSat's assertion that non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) processing round applicants should be allowed to amend their applications and petitions in light of last year's milestone rules changes (see 1801180060), it said in an FCC docket 16-408 filing posted Wednesday. OneWeb agreed with ViaSat that the FCC should reconsider its not allowing secondary fixed satellite service use 19.4-19.6 GHz and 29.1-29.25 GHz bands.
Ligado's planned terrestrial low-power service provides "ample" GPS protection, CEO Doug Smith told Commissioners Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel in meetings Tuesday, said an FCC docket 11-109 filing posted Wednesday. Ligado said it cut transmit power in all of its bands to levels low enough to protect certified aviation devices and allow most other GPS devices to operate unimpeded. It said if some underperforming high-precision GPS devices need more protection, they can be filtered to coexist with Ligado or replaced. The company said its base station emissions into the global navigation satellite system band are much lower than base station emissions from other band users and well below regulatory requirements.
The National Space Council will bring to the president an array of recommendations, including that NTIA and the FCC work with the Commerce Department on spectrum protection policies that also facilitate commercial space activities. Among recommendations the NSC adopted at its Wednesday meeting at the Kennedy Space Center were a series from the Commerce Department, including relocating the Office of Space Commerce and all commercial remote sensing regulatory functions from NOAA, so they report directly to the Commerce secretary. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told the NSC a head of the Office of Space Commerce will be chosen soon. He also said Commerce is giving NTIA more funding for space-focused activities. Ross said Commerce is recommending it and the commercial space industry work on regulations for a mission authorization framework for all Newspace commercial activities, with those regulatory framework recommendations to be made by July 1. He said Commerce, the State Department and DOD jointly need to simplify the commercial remote sensing licensing regime. The current permitting process, which can run as long as five years, "is unacceptable and must change," Ross said. Vice President Mike Pence said recommendations for streamlined export controls affecting commercial space activities should be ready by year's end, and recommendations for a streamlined launch authorization process by March 1, 2019. Satellite Industry Association President Tom Stroup told the NSC satellite operators need regulators to allocate sufficient spectrum for satellite use and to support satellite spectrum needs at the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference. In prepared remarks, he also urged regulatory streamlining and faster turnaround in regulatory approvals, plus "common sense" rules for space safety and orbital debris.
Intelsat wants an extra five-plus years of life for its Galaxy 12 satellite. In an FCC International Bureau filing Thursday, Intelsat asked for a license term extension through Dec. 31, 2023. It said the license term for the satellite is due to expire May 4, but its service end of life is estimated to be March 2019, assuming no inclined orbit operations, or three to four years beyond that in inclined orbit operation.