Space Security Index

Space Security 2011
40
GEO satellites must generate high-power transmissions to deliver a strong signal to Earth, due
to distance and the use of high bandwidth signals for television or broadband applications. 98
To avoid radio frequency interference, GEO satellites are required to maintain a minimum
of two and up to nine degrees of orbital separation, depending on the band they are using to
transmit and receive signals, the service they provide, and the eld of view of their ground
antennas. 99 us, only a limited number of satellites can occupy the prime equator (0 degree
inclination) orbital path. In the equatorial arc around the continental U.S., there is room for
only an extremely limited number of satellites. To deal with the limited availability of orbital
slots, the ITU Constitution states that radio frequencies and associate orbits, including those
in GEO, “must be used rationally, eciently and economically… so that countries or groups
of countries may have equitable access” to both. 100 However, in practice the orbital slots in
GEO are secured on a rst-come, rst-served basis.
Equitable treatment has been further compromised by a rash of early registrations with the
ITU, often of so-called “paper satellites,” combined with ITU revenue shortfalls and disputes
over satellite network ling fees. “At one time there were about 1300 lings (applications)
for satellite networks before the ITU and about 1200 of them were for paper satellites.” 101
Filing fees for ITU cost recovery grew from about $1,126 in 2000 to $31,277 in 2003,
resulting in patterns of non-payment and tensions between satellite operators and the ITU.
e fee schedule, which links charges to the complexity and size of a ling, was most recently
updated in 2008. While there is a at fee of $570, fees can reach almost $60,000 for complex
requests requiring extensive coordination. 102 Additional measures to reduce unnecessary
registrations include a requirement for satellites to be brought online within seven years of a
request, a requirement for the provision of advanced publication information at the time of
ling to verify the seriousness of intention, and payment of ling fees within six months. 103
Originally, crowding in the MEO region was not a concern, as the only major users were
the U.S. and Russia with their GPS and GLONASS navigation satellite constellations.
However, concern is increasing that problems could develop in this area when Russia adds
more satellites and if both China and the EU make good on plans for constellations of their
own. e ITU does require that these constellations all have their operational frequencies
registered, but does not stipulate specic orbital slots. All four of these systems use multiple
orbits in dierent inclinations and each system has a dierent operational altitude. While not
necessarily a problem for daily operations, the failure to properly dispose of MEO satellites
at the end of their operational life could cause future problems if the disposal is done within
the operational altitude of another system.
2010 Development
Drifting Galaxy 15 prompts complicated radio frequency interference (RFI) mitigation plans and
causes interference
e on-orbit malfunction of Galaxy 15 (see Trend 1.1) left the satellite with the ability to
keep its payload pointed at the Earth and its solar panels pointed at the Sun, and did not
aect the ability of its C-Band communications payload to receive or transmit. is meant
that the satellite could still act as an “open microphone” and retransmit any C-Band signals
it received on its uplink frequencies as it drifted through the GEO belt.
Galaxy 15 drifted past the rst operational satellite, AMC-11, between 23 May and 7 June.
AMC-11 receives digital programming from cable-television channels in North America and