-..... ........ ___________________ ~ 
11 FCC Red No. 4 Federal Communications Commission Record DA 96-10 
Before the 
Federal Communications Commission 
Washington, D.C. 20554 
In the Matter of 
Echostar Satellite Corporation 
Application for File No. DBS 22-SAT-STA-96 
Special Temporary Authority for 
a Direct Broadcast Satellite 
ORDER 
Adopted: January 11, 1996; Released: January 16, 1996 
By the Chief, Satellite and Radiocommunication Divi­
sion, International Bureau: 
1. By this Order, we grant EchoStar Satellite Corpora­
tion's (EchoStar's) request for special temporary authority 
(STA) to test the operation of its "USABSS-3" direct broad­
cast satellite at 119° W.L. on channels 1-31 (odd-num­
bered) for a period of sixty (60) days. effective immediately. 
On December 21, 1995, EchoStar was authorized to launch 
USABSS-3 for use from its eastern orbital location in the 
Direct Broadcast Satellite ("DBS") service. 1 Grant of this 
STA request will permit EchoStar to conduct in-orbit test­
ing of all 16 transponders on USABSS-3, including five 
channels (23, 25, 27, 29, and 31) assigned to Tempo Sat­
ellite, Inc. 
2. EchoStar requests an STA to communicate with its 
satellite after launch and to perform tests on all 16 satellite 
transponders.2 EchoStar states that it needs the requested 
STA to test all 16 of the transponders on USABSS-3. 
including channels 23, 25, 27, 29, and 31 in the event that 
EchoStar is authorized to operate on those channels in the 
future. EchoStar asserts that its temporary use of channels 
23, 25, 27, 29, and 31 will not cause harmful interference 
to Tempo's DBS system because Tempo has not yet 
launched a DBS satellite that operates on these channels. 
EchoStar did not indicate the expected duration of this 
testing process. 
3. Granting the EchoStar request will serve the public 
interest, convenience and necessity. The STA will allow 
EchoStar to test all transponders on USABSS-3. In addi­
tion, the proposed test is not expected to cause harmful 
interference to any other satellite system. We therefore 
grant this request. We will grant EchoStar special tem­
porary authority to test the operation of USABSS-3 for a 
period of sixty (60) days. Should EchoStar require addi­
tional time for testing, we would consider such a request at 
the expiration of the sixty day period. We will consider 
1 EchoStar Satellite Corporation F.C.C. Red. (In-
ternational Bureau, DA 96-3, released January 11, 1911~ 
2 EchoStar Request for Temporary Authority, File No. 
22-SAT-STA-96, filed November 22, 19Q5. EchoStar 
1R75 
EchoStar 's amended STA request, seeking special tempo­
rary authority to operate all 16 channels on USABSS-3, in 
a separate order. 
4. Accordingly, pursuant to authority delegated by Sec­
tion 0.261 of the Commission's Rules, 47 C.F.R. § 0.261, 
IT IS ORDERED that Application File No. DBS 22-SAT­
STA-96 IS GRANTED IN PART such that EchoStar Sat­
ellite Corporation IS AUTHORIZ~D to test the operation 
of USABSS-3 on channels 1-31 (odd- numbered) at the 
119° W.L. orbital location for a period of sixty (60) days 
after the date of release of this order. 
5. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that no harmful inter­
ference shall be caused to any other lawfully operated radio 
station and EchoStar Satellite Corporation shall cease op­
eration immediately upon notification of such interference. 
6. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that EchoStar Satellite 
Corporation shall notify the Commission in writing no 
later than seven days after the testing of USABSS-3 is 
completed. 
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 
Thomas S. Tycz 
Chief, Satellite and Radiocommunication Division 
International Bureau 
subsequestly amended this filing to include a request for operat­
ing authority. See Minor Amendment to Request for Spcial 
Temporary Authority (dated December 4, 19Q5).