LightSquared Update - 1/5/12 - 2012 Defense Spending Act May Kill Any Chance of LightSquared Launch

The 500-page-plus National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 details what LightSquared must do get the OK from the FCC to move forward on its its satellite and terrestrial based Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wholesale data service.

The provision, which appears under the Space Activities section of the defense funding bill, prohibits the FCC from permitting any operations that interfere with the military use of GPS in any way. The NDAA, which was signed into law on Dec. 31, 2011, by President Obama, is best known for the controversy surrounding the detention of suspected terrorists.

eWeek goes on to note the very strict requirments for the ok and the reporting requirements to Congress. The cost related to those for the FCC and DoD may shut down the whole thing.

Note that there's a cost factor in the reporting requirement. What this means is that if interference is found, then the military must determine how much it will cost to either fix all of those GPS units in use or find some other way to eliminate the problem. Considering the limitation on the defense budgets with the end of the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan winding down, it's unlikely that the Defense Department will have the money for a massive repair or swap of GPS receivers.

Said another way, this Act is making it look even worse for LightSquared's network ever getting off the ground.

- eWeek

Congress: NOAA Should Explore Charging for its Satellite Data

For decades, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been carving satellite data into customized chunks that help other federal agencies solve some unusual problems—at no cost to the users. But faced with soaring NOAA satellite costs and a bleak budget outlook, lawmakers last month ordered the agency to explore ways of charging other federal agencies—and perhaps even some large consortiums of academic scientists that partner with government agencies—for its "specialized data products." It's time, they argue, for beneficiaries to help NOAA sustain a cash-strapped satellite program. A storm is brewing over the suggestion.

Congressmen Ask Administration to Fund Remote Sensing Efforts Amid Planned Cuts

In a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and National Intelligence Director James Clapper and twelve members of Congress ask for continued funding for the EnhancedView satellite program.  Current cuts could damage it and unfund the work of GeoEye and DigitalGlobe.

- BusinessWeek

FCC Shares Documents Requested About LightSquare Under FOIA

Writes the FCC on the website:

The Federal Communications Commission has received numerous requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for documents related to LightSquared, Sky Terra, Mobile Satellite Ventures, Motient, Harbinger, TerraStar, and people related to these entities. For the convenience of the requesters and the public, under the “frequently requested records” provision of the FOIA, 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(2)(D), the FCC has created this public web portal to provide ready access to publicly available documents and other responsive documents not otherwise exempt from release under the FOIA. The FCC is still in the process of releasing documents responsive to the FOIA requests and will inform all FOIA requesters when we have concluded releasing documents.

Speak Up for Geography 10,000 Letters Update (11/16/11) #speakupforgeography

At last look the count was up over 9,000 letters sent to Congress with a goal of 10,000 by Friday. The goal here is let Congresspeople know we want The Geography is Fundamental Ac (TGIF) to be passed this year. It allocated $15 million over each of five years for enhancements to geography education. Have you spoken up yet? Do so here. (Oh, and you do not need to be of voting age to write to your Congresspeople. And, the website does all the hard work, like finding your states' representatives e-mail addresses...)