UPDATED: HSS&T Releases Witness List for LightSquared Hearing

UPDATE: This hearing was rescheduled to September 8, 2011 from its original date of August 3. The witness list is the same.

The House Science, Space and Technology Committee today released the witness list for its hearing on LightSquared next week.

The committee’s press release says that the following people will testify:

Mr. Anthony Russo, Director, The National Coordination Office for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing

Ms. Mary Glackin, Deputy Under Secretary, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Mr. Badri Younes, Deputy Associate Administrator, Space Communications and Navigation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Mr. Peter Appel, Administrator, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Department of Transportation

Dr. David Applegate, Associate Director, Natural Hazards, U.S. Geological Survey

Dr. Scott Pace, Director, Space Policy Institute, George Washington University

The topic is Impacts of the LightSquared Network on Federal Science Activities. LightSquared is trying to get permission from the Federal Communications Commission to build a terrestrial system to augment its existing satellite system for mobile broadband communications. Opponents of the terrestrial system assert that it will interefere with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. Several technical studies demonstrate that interference will indeed occur in at least part of the spectrum band LightSquared plans to use. The company blames GPS receiver manufacturers rather than its plan, but recently suggested that it initiate operations in only part of the band while a resolution is sought for the rest.

The hearing is on Wednesday, August 3, at 10:00 am in 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.