Teledesic is a Delaware corporation owned by McCaw Cellular Communications Inc. and
Microsoft Corporation. It was founded in 1990 and the FCC application was made
in March 1994.
Teledesic proposes to construct, launch, and operate a constellation consisting of 840
satellites in non-geostationary satellite orbits. The constellation is
organized into 21 circular orbit planes with each plane containing a minimum of
40 active satellites spaced evenly, and up to four operational spares per
orbital plane. Additional spares will be constructed to replace failed
satellites so that no orbital plane contains fewer than 40 operational
satellites at any time. The orbit planes are at a sun-synchronous inclination,
98.2 degrees, which keeps them at a constant angle relative to the sun. These
satellites will operate at an altitude between 695 and 700 kilometers (LEO) and
will communicate with earth stations operating above a 40 degree elevation
angle.
Teledesic was authorized in March 1997 to operate in the United States in the 28.6 - 29.1
GHz (uplink) and 18.8 -19.3 GHz (downlink) band segments for its service links
and 27.6-28.4 GHz bands for its "gigalink" gateway terminal uplink and the
17.8-18.6 GHz band for its "gigalink" gateway terminal downlinks. Teledesic
will also use inter-satellite links (in the 65-71 GHz band) to interconnect
each satellite with eight other satellites in the same and adjacent planes.
In late April 1997 Boeing decided to invest up to $100 million for 10 percent
of the current ownership of Teledesic. As the prime contractor, Boeing will
lead an international effort to design, build and launch the Teledesic Network.
The estimated contract value will be $9 billion. Boeing proposed to reduce the
constellation to 288 satellites using new technology. It is foreseen that Sea
Launch will be a major space carrier to setup the Teledesic network. In Oct
1997 it is said that the orbit could be changed to circular, 1375 km.
In May 1998 it was announced that Motorola would cancel its Celestri program
and take a 26% stake into Teledesic. Motorola would lead the industrial and
technological team comprising Boeing, and MMS.
In Dec 1998 it is rumored that the system would be made a 3-ton satellites
(approx. 50 of them) and that the system would not be operational before
2005.
In Jan 1999 Teledesic filled for a 30 medium-earth-orbit (MEO) satellite system
dubbed Ku-Band Supplement (KuBS)
In Jul 1999 an agreement with Lockheed Martin was revealed. It defines the
launch vehicles as Proton
and Atlas 5. Three launches for both vehicles were booked and 5 more on both
rockets are options. Nor the financial terms nor specifications of the
satellites were diclosed. A second agreement with Motorola was disclosed. It
makes Motorola the main contractor for the satellites. In mid-2000 it is
rumored that the constellation would be reducted to 70 satellites.
In May 2000 we learn the Motorola should not be the prime contractor for the
system. A prime contractor is again needed.
In Oct 2000 it is confirmed that Motorola will not be the prime contractor. It
seems now that Teledesic and
ICO
will merge.
In Jan 2001, Motorola requested from FCC the right to transfer all its
satellite licences and pending applications to Teledesic.
Status: Service is targeted to begin in 2003.
Ref: #15 - update: 27.10.04