Sec.  97.207   Space station.

   (a) Any amateur station may be a space station. A holder of any class
   operator license may be the control operator of a space station, subject to
   the privileges of the class of operator license held by the control
   operator.

   (b) A space station must be capable of effecting a cessation of
   transmissions by telecommand whenever such cessation is ordered by the FCC.

   (c) The following frequency bands and segments are authorized to space
   stations:

   (1) The 17 m, 15 m, 12 m, and 10 m bands, 6 mm, 4 mm, 2 mm and 1 mm bands;
   and

   (2) The 7.0–7.1 MHz, 14.00–14.25 MHz, 144–146 MHz, 435–438 MHz, 1260–1270
   MHz, and 2400–2450 MHz, 3.40–3.41 GHz, 5.83–5.85 GHz, 10.45–10.50 GHz, and
   24.00–24.05 GHz segments.

   (d) A space station may automatically retransmit the radio signals of Earth
   stations and other space stations.

   (e) A space station may transmit one-way communications.

   (f) Space telemetry transmissions may consist of specially coded messages
   intended to facilitate communications or related to the function of the
   spacecraft.

   (g) The license grantee of each space station must make two written
   pre-space station notifications to the International Bureau, FCC, Washington
   DC 20554. Each notification must be in accord with the provisions of
   Articles S9 and S11 of the ITU Radio Regulations.

   (1) The first notification is required no less than 27 months prior to
   initiating space station transmissions and must specify the information
   required by Appendix S4 and Resolution No. 642 of the International
   Telecommunication Union Radio Regulations. The first notification shall also
   include a description of the design and operational strategies the space
   station will use to mitigate orbital debris, including the following
   information:

   (i) A statement that the space station operator 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 operator 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 operator 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 operator 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.

   (2) The second notification is required no less than 5 months prior to
   initiating space station transmissions and must specify the information
   required by Appendix S4 and Resolution No. 642 of the Radio Regulations.

   (h) The license grantee of each space station must make a written in-space
   station notification to the International Bureau no later than 7 days
   following initiation of space station transmissions. The notification must
   update the information contained in the pre-space notification.

   (i) The license grantee of each space station must make a written post-space
   station notification to the International Bureau no later than 3 months
   after termination of the space station transmissions. When the termination
   is ordered by the FCC, notification is required no later than 24 hours after
   termination.

   [ 54 FR 25857 , June 20, 1989, as amended at  54 FR 39535 , Sept. 27, 1989;  56 FR 56171 , Nov. 1, 1991;  57 FR 32736 , July 23, 1992;  60 FR 50124 , Sept. 28,
   1995;  63 FR 68980 , Dec. 14, 1998;  69 FR 54588 , Sept. 9, 2004]