(a) Licensees of geostationary orbit satellite systems other than DBS and DARS satellite systems, including GSO MSS satellite systems, licensed on or after August 27, 2003 will be required to comply with the schedule set forth in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(4) of this section in implementing their satellite systems, unless a different schedule is established by Title 47, Chapter I, or by Commission Order, or by Order adopted pursuant to delegated authority. These dates are to be measured from the date the license is issued.
(1) One year: Enter into a binding non-contingent contract to construct the licensed satellite system.
(2) Two years: Complete the critical design review of the licensed satellite system.
(3) Three years: Begin the construction of the satellite.
(4) Five years: Launch the space station, position it in its assigned orbital location, and operate it in accordance with the station authorization.
(b) Licensees of non-geostationary orbit satellite systems other than DBS and DARS satellite systems licensed on or after September 11, 2003, will be required to comply with the schedule set forth in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(5) of this section in implementing their satellite systems, unless a different schedule is established by Title 47, Chapter I, or by Commission Order, or by Order adopted pursuant to delegated authority. These dates are to be measured from the date the license is issued.
(1) One year: Enter into a binding non-contingent contract to construct the licensed satellite system.
(2) Two years: Complete the critical design review of the licensed satellite system.
(3) Two years, six months: Begin the construction of the first satellite in the licensed satellite system.
(4) Three years, six months: Launch the first space station, place it in the authorized orbit, and operate it in accordance with the station authorization.
(5) Six years: Bring all the satellites in the licensed satellite system into operation.
(c) Licensees of all satellite systems, other than DBS and DARS satellite systems, must either submit a copy of a binding non-contingent satellite construction contract with the Commission or notify the Commission in writing that they have not entered into such a contract, no later than 15 days after the milestone date for entering into such a contract.
(d) Licensees of all satellite systems, other than DBS and DARS satellite systems, must either submit information to the Commission sufficient to demonstrate that the licensee has completed the critical design review of the licensed satellite system or notify the Commission in writing that critical design review has not been completed, no later than 15 days after the milestone date for completion of such design review.
(e) Licensees of all satellite systems, other than DBS and DARS satellite systems, must either submit information to the Commission sufficient to demonstrate that the licensee has commenced physical construction of its licensed spacecraft or notify the Commission in writing that such construction has not commenced, no later than 15 days after the milestone date for such commencement.
(f) Licensees of all satellite systems, other than DBS and SDARS systems, must either demonstrate compliance with an applicable deadline for operation or launch and operation specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section or notify the Commission in writing that launch and commencement of operation has not occurred, no later than 15 days after the deadline. Compliance with a milestone requirement in paragraph (a)(4), (b)(4), or (b)(5) of this section may be demonstrated by certifying pursuant to Sec. 25.121(d) that the space station, or stations, has, or have, been launched and placed in the authorized orbital location or non-geostationary orbit(s) and that in-orbit operation of the space station or stations has been tested and found to be consistent with the terms of the authorization.
(g) Licensees of satellite systems that include both non-geostationary orbit satellites and geostationary orbit satellites, other than DBS and DARS satellite systems, will be required to comply with the schedule in paragraph (a) of this section with respect to the geostationary orbit satellites, and with the schedule set forth in paragraph (b) of this section with respect to the non-geostationary orbit satellites.
(h) In cases where the Commission grants a satellite authorization in different stages, such as a license for a satellite system using feeder links or inter-satellite links, the earliest of the milestone schedules will be applied to the entire satellite system. [68 FR 51507, Aug. 27, 2003, as amended at 69 FR 51587, Aug. 20, 2004; 79 FR 8320, Feb. 12, 2014]