[amsat-bb] FCC and Satellite Size

Tue Mar 13 20:50:31 UTC 2018

More good discussion here:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16555106

On Tue, Mar 13, 2018 at 1:55 PM Paul Stoetzer <n8hm at arrl.net> wrote:

> Yes. The applicable excerpt for amateur satellites from 47 CFR §97.207:
>
> (g) The license grantee of each space station must make the following
> written notifications to the International Bureau, FCC, Washington, DC
> 20554.
>
> (1) A pre-space notification within 30 days after the date of launch
> vehicle determination, but no later than 90 days before integration of
> the space station into the launch vehicle. The notification must be in
> accordance with the provisions of Articles 9 and 11 of the
> International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radio Regulations and must
> specify the information required by Appendix 4 and Resolution No. 642
> of the ITU Radio Regulations. The notification must also include a
> description of the design and operational strategies that the space
> station will use to mitigate orbital debris, including the following
> information:
>
> (i) A statement that the space station licensee has assessed and
> limited the amount of debris released in a planned manner during
> normal operations, and has assessed and limited the probability of the
> space station becoming a source of debris by collisions with small
> debris or meteoroids that could cause loss of control and prevent
> post-mission disposal;
>
> (ii) A statement that the space station licensee has assessed and
> limited the probability of accidental explosions during and after
> completion of mission operations. This statement must include a
> demonstration that debris generation will not result from the
> conversion of energy sources on board the spacecraft into energy that
> fragments the spacecraft. Energy sources include chemical, pressure,
> and kinetic energy. This demonstration should address whether stored
> energy will be removed at the spacecraft's end of life, by depleting
> residual fuel and leaving all fuel line valves open, venting any
> pressurized system, leaving all batteries in a permanent discharge
> state, and removing any remaining source of stored energy, or through
> other equivalent procedures specifically disclosed in the application;
>
> (iii) A statement that the space station licensee has assessed and
> limited the probability of the space station becoming a source of
> debris by collisions with large debris or other operational space
> stations. Where a space station will be launched into a low-Earth
> orbit that is identical, or very similar, to an orbit used by other
> space stations, the statement must include an analysis of the
> potential risk of collision and a description of what measures the
> space station operator plans to take to avoid in-orbit collisions. If
> the space station licensee is relying on coordination with another
> system, the statement must indicate what steps have been taken to
> contact, and ascertain the likelihood of successful coordination of
> physical operations with, the other system. The statement must
> disclose the accuracy—if any—with which orbital parameters of
> non-geostationary satellite orbit space stations will be maintained,
> including apogee, perigee, inclination, and the right ascension of the
> ascending node(s). In the event that a system is not able to maintain
> orbital tolerances, i.e., it lacks a propulsion system for orbital
> maintenance, that fact should be included in the debris mitigation
> disclosure. Such systems must also indicate the anticipated evolution
> over time of the orbit of the proposed satellite or satellites. Where
> a space station requests the assignment of a geostationary-Earth orbit
> location, it must assess whether there are any known satellites
> located at, or reasonably expected to be located at, the requested
> orbital location, or assigned in the vicinity of that location, such
> that the station keeping volumes of the respective satellites might
> overlap. If so, the statement must include a statement as to the
> identities of those parties and the measures that will be taken to
> prevent collisions;
>
> (iv) A statement detailing the post-mission disposal plans for the
> space station at end of life, including the quantity of fuel—if
> any—that will be reserved for post-mission disposal maneuvers. For
> geostationary-Earth orbit space stations, the statement must disclose
> the altitude selected for a post-mission disposal orbit and the
> calculations that are used in deriving the disposal altitude. The
> statement must also include a casualty risk assessment if planned
> post-mission disposal involves atmospheric re-entry of the space
> station. In general, an assessment should include an estimate as to
> whether portions of the spacecraft will survive re-entry and reach the
> surface of the Earth, as well as an estimate of the resulting
> probability of human casualty.
>
> (v) If any material item described in this notification changes before
> launch, a replacement pre-space notification shall be filed with the
> International Bureau no later than 90 days before integration of the
> space station into the launch vehicle.
>
> (2) An in-space station notification is required no later than 7 days
> following initiation of space station transmissions. This notification
> must update the information contained in the pre-space notification.
>
> (3) A post-space station notification is required no later than 3
> months after termination of the space station transmissions. When
> termination of transmissions is ordered by the FCC, the notification
> is required no later than 24 hours after termination of transmissions.
>
> 73,
>
> Paul, N8HM
>
> On Tue, Mar 13, 2018 at 3:51 PM, radiomb <radiomb at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> >  Just saw this article. The FCC is the controlling agency for the size
> of a satellite? Not NASA or another agency of the government? Guess that is
> part of the process that AMSAT has to go thru to get a bird approved.
> >  Don't launch these tiny satellites, the FCC said. They're apparently in
> space anyway
> >
> > |
> > |
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> > |   |    |
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> > |    |
> > Don't launch these tiny satellites, the FCC said. They're apparentl...
> >  By Samantha Masunaga Menlo Park small-satellite firm Swarm Technologies
> apparently launched four tiny satellites despite the disappro...  |   |
> >
> >   |
> >
> >   |
> >
> >
> > 73 Mike K4MIA
> >
> >
> > |  | Virus-free. www.avast.com  |
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available
> to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions
> expressed
> are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
> AMSAT-NA.
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>