SFCG Report to CEOS Frequency Protection for EO Satellites

1. SFCG Report to CEOSFrequency Protection for EO Satellites 23rd CEOS Plenary I Phuket, Thailand I 3-5 Novenber 2009

2. Presentation contents • SFCG Activities Status • The WRC-12 objectives • Other SFCG subjects of interest for CEOS • Proposed CEOS actions in support of SFCG 23rd CEOS Plenary I Phuket, Thailand I 3-5 November 2009

3. Space Frequency Coordination Group Activities Status • The SFCG-29 meeting took place in Moscow (Russian Federation) in June 2009. The meeting was attended by 49 delegates from 14 Space Agencies and 3 Observer Agencies. • SFCG reviewed the “WRC-12 SFCG Objectives”. Copies of document 1 can be made available. • Other issues relevant to the CEOS activities were also discussed (see later). • SFCG was briefed about the frequency management-related discussions that took place at the 22nd CEOS Plenary in 2008 and appreciated the CEOS offer for support, in particular in the area of evaluation of the economical impact of EO. • 2 Recommendations on the use of the 8 GHz and 26 GHz bands by EO satellites, that were originated by SFCG, have now been adopted by the International Telecommunications Union ITU. • SFCG-30 will take place in July 2010 in Australia. 23rd CEOS Plenary I Phuket, Thailand I 3-5 November 2009 3

4. The WRC-12 objectives • Most of the WRC Agenda Items of relevance to EO are progressing in a rather satisfactorily manner, well in line with the objectives set up in the SFCG document 1. • The ITU-R (Radio-communication section) report on the Essential role of EO applications is under finalization (document available) and will be completed in June 2010 for submission to WRC-12. Contributions are still sought from CEOS to add more quantitative data to the Report in the part related to economical benefits, in line with CEOS Action 22-20. • A few other Agenda Items potentially impacting EO are still monitored but seem to be well aligned with the SFCG Objectives, with the following exceptions: • AI 1.25: New Mobile Satellite Service allocations in the range 4-16 GHz. • AI 1.2: Possible merging of fixed and mobile service definition. • AI 1.5: Worldwide harmonization of spectrum for Electronic News Gathering (ENG) Note: The World Radio Conference date has been delayed to beginning 2012 (WRC-12) 23rd CEOS Plenary I Phuket, Thailand I 3-5 November 2009 4

5. The WRC-12 objectives (cont) • AI 1.25: New Mobile Satellite Service allocations in the range 4-16 GHz. Recently the targeted bands have been identified. They include: • bands used for MetSat data downlink (7750-7900 MHz, EPS and similar missions), • bands used by microwave radiometers (7 GHz and 10.6 GHz, e.g.AMSR-E), • bands used by altimeters (13.25-13.4 GHz, e.g. Jason-2). • Studies have just started, but potential criticalities have already been identified, putting at risk the existing services if the allocation is given to MSS • AI 1.2: Possible merging of fixed and mobile service definition The growing consensus about merging the definition of these 2 services might create serious difficulties in getting licences for any Earth Exploration Satellite Services EESS ground station. We share all the data acquisition bands with fixed without serious problems, but it will not be possible to share with mobile systems. • AI 1.5 Worldwide harmonization of spectrum for Electronic News Gathering (ENG). Similar problem to the above but limited to the two GHz bands. Difficult sharing with EESS ground stations if ENG systems are standardized in those bands future difficulties for getting licences. 23rd CEOS Plenary I Phuket, Thailand I 3-5 November 2009 5

6. Other SFCG subjects of interest for CEOS • EO use of the 8025-8400 MHz band for EO data downlink The SFCG has updated its database on future planned use of the band.Nearly all new EO missions will use the 8 GHz band for payload data dump. Nearly each of the new EO missions will use most of the 375 MHz available. Nearly all of the EO missions will dump their data to a few “standard” stations at high latitude. All this leads unavoidably to coordination problems over these stations and risk of losing some satellite passes.  The space agencies are strongly invited to invest in the technology necessary for a future transfer to the 25.5-27 GHzband for high data rate dumps. • Short Range Devices (SRD) New types of SRD are proposed at various frequency bands by national authorities as if this was a purely national issue. SFCG is arguing that this has the potential to affect international services like the EO satellites and therefore shouldn’t be left to individual countries to decide in isolation.Strong lobbying is neededon this concept!!!!! 23rd CEOS Plenary I Phuket, Thailand I 3-5 November 2009 6

7. Proposed CEOS actions in support of SFCG • Action 1: Lobbying. The CEOS Delegates are asked to use the WRC-12 SFCG Objectives (in Document 1) for the lobbying activities/participation to spectrum user meetings with their national administration. The document should be submitted to any relevant national or international forum attended by CEOS Delegates. Action 1 deadline: by WCR-12. • Action 2: Report on EO economical value. The CEOS Delegates are asked to propose in a coordinated manner additions/modifications to the draft ITU-R Report on the Essential role of EO applications (Document 2; copies can be made available). In particular SFCG is seeking coordinated CEOS contributions providing numbers on: • the economical value of the applications based on EO data, • the value of the EO data market and its associated applications, • the potential economical impact of data losses due to RF interference. Action 2 deadline: May 2010. The document is to be finalized in ITU in June 2010. 23rd CEOS Plenary I Phuket, Thailand I 3-5 November 2009 7

8. Contacts More info on SFCG at: www.sfcgonline.org Contact: Edoardo Marelli (ESA) Edoardo.Marelli@esa.int Tel: +31-71-5654305 - mobile: +31-6-52062088 . 23rd CEOS Plenary I Phuket, Thailand I 3-5 November 2009 8