TED Case Studies

Teledesic Corporation

CASE NUMBER: 434
CASE MNEMONIC: TELEDES
CASE NAME: TELEDESIC AND ENVIRONMENT
CASE AUTHOR: Andrew H. Furber, June 1997

IDENTIFICATION
LEGAL CLUSTERS
GEOGRAPHIC CLUSTERS
TRADE CLUSTERS
ENVIRONMENT CLUSTERS
OTHER FACTORS

I. Identification

1. The Issue

The Teledesic Corporation is launching in 2002, one of the most ambitious communication satellite constellations known. The Teledesic "Internet in the Sky" network will provide fiber-like services to every corner of the world depending on the political systems which would agree to usage of the service. Broadband capacity will allow speedy digital connections using Ka-band width. The network consists of 288 Low Earth Orbit satellites spinning in orbits that take them minutes to circumnavigate the earth. The satellites will be unlike current models in that they will be intelligent, a signal will move from one satellite to another as they pass over a ground node. This switching technology is already used on earth in cellular networks. The network will be global, anyone anywhere the system who has permission from their local government to operate it will be able to use the system making it a highly accessible universal service. On the other hand, it also means that there will be 288 additional manmade items that will need to be tracked in the increasingly crowded Low Earth Orbit. This paper is intended to examine space crowding and other concerns of Teledesic.

2. Description

There are a few earth and space related environmental concerns generated by the Teledesic proposal. Teledesic intends to use Low Earth Orbit (LEO) slots which are filling up with new telecommunications equipment. This additional equipment will challenge the tracking of space technologies and garbage. Since proposing an 840 unit satellite communications network, Boeing joined Teledesic to help them build the satellites. Boeing has recommended that only 288 satellites are required to meet satisfy the service requirements Teledesic wants to provide. Nonetheless, more space debris shall become a more pressing issue.

Earth-based issues include the threat of microwave sickness to human beings on earth. Studies on humans have not proven a connection between microwaves and behavior, but physical effects have been reported in tests of exposure to 4.1 GHz of radio frequency radiation. The health aspects of an accident involving nine men exposed to radiation levels which exceed the current Australian standard included various abnormalities found in all staff. With the possible exception of hair loss, there was no consistent gradient of effect in the occurrence of abnormality between the groups. It was concluded that the exposure had not resulted in harmful effects (Hocking, 1988).

In an experiment designed to test the specific absorption rate (SAR) by the brain of radio frequencies, a fake head was built and exposed to various cellular equipment and antenna configurations. The SARs are below peak spatial limits recommended in the U.S. and Australian national standards [IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee 28 (1991): C95.1-1991 and Standards Australia (1990): AS2772.1-1990] and the IRPA guidelines for safe exposure to radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields [IRPA (1988): Health Phys 54:115-123] (Anderson, 1995). Nonetheless, people who live near cellular repeater towers complain of physical illnesses that they attribute to living near the towers. While these towers send signals horizontally, the Teledesic system sends signals vertically, using a satellite dish on the roof of a building, at no more than 40 degrees from perpendicular to the earth. Thus, if there are health risks associated with the Teledesic technology, they are as yet, unknown, so there is still a need to monitor this issue.

Space related environmental factors and their effects include (Purvis, 1994):

1) Sunlight & Earthshine; heating, thermal cycling, material damage, sensor noise, drag, torque photo emission (power)

2) Gravity; acceleration, torque, stabilization

3) B & E Fields; torque, drag, surface changes

4) Neutral Atmosphere; drag, torque, material degradation, vacuum, contamination, HV breakdown

5) Plasmas; charging, arcing, parasitic currents, system potentials, sputtering, enhanced contamination, ES & EM waves (noise), plasma waves & turbulence, change of EM refractive index

6) Fast Charged Particles; radiation damage, internal charging, single event upsets, arcing, noise

7) Meteoroid & Debris; mechanical damage, enhanced chemical & plasma interactions, local plasma production, induced arcing

8) System Generated; system dependent neutrals, plasma, fields, forces & torque, particles, radiation

Teledesic has reported that its satellites should be able to sustain a space debris hit, and still function. The satellites will be designed of "tough new composite materials," sustaining impacts of space debris and allowing holes in the solar arrays which will not impact overall performance (Gilder, 1994). They are also building 36 extra satellites to loft into orbits where others may have been destroyed, or expire after their approximated life span. The network is like the Internet because it is de-centralized, just like the original post nuclear holocaust e-mail concept. Many satellites together act like nodes on earth. The advantage of decentralization is that if a satellite is particalized by a speeding fleck of paint, the system can still work, the same way as if China censors Internet connections coming in, the packet will be routed around the "break." If many of the satellites are destroyed, Teledesic would be prepared to launch extra satellites up to keep the network on line. Centralized satellite networks that depend on all satellites have a lot to loose if one satellite is damaged.

A final issue worth investigation regards the environmental impact of launching so many satellites. The cumulative number of launches over the next few years will increase exponentially in the telecommunications industry alone. Teledesic's contribution to this problem is diminished by the fact that their satellites are smaller than the typical GEO payload. One launch can carry eight or more satellites, thus lessening the overall impact of launching 288 satellites (Gilder 1994).

3. Related Cases

Check theSPACEGAR case for an in-depth look at the history and implications of space debris.

4. Draft Author: Andrew H. Furber

June 3, 1997

American University, School of International Service, International Communication

II. Legal Clusters

5. Discourse and Status: AGREEment and INPROGress

In 1995, Teledesic attended the ITU's World Radio Conference where it received support from the developed and developing world in the form of the granting of international satellite spectrum allocation (Brandt, 1996). Teledesic has won support of the FCC in March, 1997 to build, launch and operate the Teledesic Network (Teledesic, 1997). It is now engaged in securing operating permission in counties around the world.

6. Forum and Scope: MANY and MULTILATERAL

At the international level, the International Telecommunications Union and the World Trade Organization are involved with getting the system under way. Regional organizations will also be included in negotiations where possible. Bi-lateral arrangements will probably be set-up where a regional organization does not exist, or does not cover a country. Uni-lateral organizations include the FCC and private sector partners which Teledesic will cooperate with to help launch the network.

7. Decision Breadth: MANY

Satellite transmissions do not recognize borders, and the network is designed so that its foot prints cover the globe. In order to provide service in a country however, Teledesic must obtain permission from the state to operate through a local telecommunication service provider. Developing countries are particularly interested in the flexibility of the network because it could provide service where the communication infrastructure is underdeveloped. Authoritarian countries concerned about preserving national sovereignty, should be interested in the Teledesic option for Internet provision because the satellites can be programmed not to send a signal to a country that does not want the service. China is an example of a country where the Internet poses a information control problem. China is currently working on its own Intranet, and restricts international Internet service providers by monitoring user traffic. Ability to control Internet gateways that use Teledesic's services should be an option for China's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. The following depiction of the network's footprints demonstrates coverage using 840 satellites, and is borrowed from SaVi (Satellite Visualizations) website.

8. Legal Standing: SUBLAW & NGO

Legal arrangements will be made between Teledesic and either a private service provider in a country or the national PTT. Teledesic will not actually operate the service in the country.

III. Geographic Clusters

9. Geographic Locations

a. Geographic Domain: SPACE

Notice the congestion around the equator in the Geosynchronous Earth Orbit.

b. Geographic Site: EARTH ORBIT

c. Geographic Impact: GLOBAL

10. Sub-National Factors: NO

11. Type of Habitat: SPACE

IV. Trade Clusters

12. Type of Measure: LICENsing

13. Direct v. Indirect Impacts: INDirect

14. Relation of Trade Measure to Environmental Impact

a. Directly Related to Product: YES (SATELLite)

b. Indirectly Related to Product: NO

c. Not Related to Product: NO

d. Related to Process: YES SPACE

15. Trade Product Identification: Space SATELLite

16. Economic Data

Teledesic estimates that it will need $9 billion to begin operation. Effective mass production of the satellites will have an impact on the price per unit. While it is not yet public, offerings are likely to go first to entities associated with building the system. For example, the relationship with Boeing includes not only architecture design, but also a significant financial investment. Current efforts are also covered by investments from founder Craig McCaw and board member Bill Gates. They will continue to support the company until financial investment is required for geopolitical and service industry alliance purposes. Public investment will happen only within sight of launching the satellites (Brandt 1996).

17. Impact of Trade Restriction: LOW

18. Industry Sector: HIGH-TECH

19. Exporters and Importers:

Exportation in this case is the global provision of many to many Internet access services. The importer is any country which permits the service to be rendered. It is too soon to report who will use the service and will refuse it, but it is capable of serving all countries of the world.

V. Environment Clusters

20. Environmental Problem Type: GLOBAL - space debris

Other impacts include SINK problems associated with space debris. The Teledesic satellites are expected to have a 10 year life span. Old or broken satellites will be replaced by a fleet of new ones. Without propulsion assistance, expired or broken units will "harmlessly" fall into earth orbit and disintegrate on re-entry. As they re-enter, they will accelerate from orbiting speed of 25,000 km per hour. NASA tracks approximately 7000 on-orbit objects which are large enough to be catalogued. This is problematic considering the amount of debris that includes flecks of paint and is known to cause dings in the Space Shuttle windows. Estimates about how much junk is currently in space varies depending on the distance from earth and the tracking mechanism used. Refer to the NASA study on space debris to obtain a better sense of the Current Environment. This issue will become more pressing in Low Earth Orbit as other private enterprises using Low Earth Orbit will also launch waves of satellites, contributing to the congestion.

21. Name, Type, and Diversity of Species

22. Resource Impact and Effect: LOW and STRUCTURAL

23. Urgency of Problem: LOW

24. Substitutes: LIKE

The SPACEGAR case recommends underwater sea cable as a substitute, but there is no reason to think that laying more cable would be a better solution for the earth's environment. An additional recommendation for space is to restrict the parts of space craft from being jettisoned after lift off.

VI. Other Factors

25. Culture: NO

26. Trans-Boundary Issues: YES

The Teledesic network is a fixed network, unlike Iridium. A subsidiary of Motorola, Iridium will provide global cellular service using a similar infrastructure. Fewer problems will arise for service users who want to travel to a country which does not permit the use of the Teledesic network. In fact, if a country does not grant permission to Teledesic to provide the service in that country, the with its smaller footprint (the radius of coverage under a particular satellite), the network can route around that country. This flexibility minimizes border problems, but the issue of space pollution is still global. Meanwhile, if an Iridium customer moves across a border of a country that does not permit Iridium access, customs officials may confiscate the mobile unit. Footprints are larger and cannot exclude specific countries in the same way that the Teledesic system can. In terms of space debris, border issues are also difficult to define. As mentioned above, NASA tracks and catalogues debris that it can identify as belonging to a specific country. New regulations forbid explosions or detachments of equipment that is no longer functional since these activities increase the amount of debris that is not identified as belonging to a nation or group of nations. Unidentified debris, and debris that is created by multiple nation's projects are more difficult to attribute responsibility to, aggravating the situation for all nations. Teledesic is designing its spacecraft to re-enter earth orbit at the end of a useful life (about 10 years) so expired satellites should not be a contributing factor.

27. Rights: NO

28. Relevant Literature

Anderson V; Joyner KH. "Specific absorption rate levels measured in a phantom head exposed to radio frequency transmissions from analog hand-held mobile phones.". Bioelectromagnetics (9Z7). 1995; 16 (1): 60-9.

Brandt, Richard. Interview, "Teledesic President Russell Daggett." Upside. November, 1996.

Daggatt, Russell. "Satellites for a Developing World." Scientific American. September, 1995.

"Technology Brief: The Final Frontier." The Economist. July 27, 1996.

Gilder, George. "Telecosm Ethesphere." Forbes. October 10, 1994.

Hocking B; Joyner K; Fleming R. "Health aspects of radio-frequency radiation accidents. Part I: Assessment of health after a radio-frequency radiation accident." Journal of Microwave Power Electromagnetic Energy (JME). 1988; 23 (2): 67-74.

"Interagency Report on Orbital Debris." The National Science and Technology Council Committee on Transportation Research and Development. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 95-72164, 1995. Available http://www-sn.jsc.nasa.gov/debris/report95.html (on line) .

Kupfer, Andrew. "Craig McCaw's Cosmic Ambition." Fortune. May 27, 1996.

Maney, Kevin. "Where no billionaire has gone before." USA Today. December 23, 1996.

Purvis, C. K. The Space Environment: Environment Factors and Effects on Systems [online]. Last Updated Wed Aug 3 12:52:14 EDT 1994 by RC. Available http://satori2.lerc.nasa.gov/DOC/seeov/envfac.html [online].

Teledesic Corporation. Press Release. March 19, 1997.

Teledesic Corporation. "Application of Teledesic Corporation the United States Federal Communications Commission for a Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) Satellite System: System Description Excerpt." Teledesic; fccse5. March 21, 1994.

Woods, Lloyd. "Teledesic." Available www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/personal [online].