Sec.  25.121   License term and renewals.

   (a) License Term. Except for licenses for DBS facilities, licenses for
   facilities governed by this part will be issued for a period of 15 years.
   Licenses for DBS space stations licensed as broadcast facilities will be
   issued for a period of 8 years. Licenses for DBS space stations not licensed
   as broadcast facilities will be issued for a period of 10 years.

   (b) The Commission reserves the right to grant or renew station licenses for
   less than 15 years if, in its judgment, the public interest, convenience and
   necessity will be served by such action.

   (c) For earth stations, the license term will be specified in the instrument
   of authorization.

   (d) Space stations. (1) For geostationary satellite orbit satellites, the
   license term will begin at 3 a.m. EST on the date the licensee certifies to
   the Commission that the satellite has been successfully placed into orbit
   and that the operations of the satellite fully conform to the terms and
   conditions of the space station radio authorization.

   (2) For non-geostationary satellite orbit satellites, the license term will
   begin  at  3  a.m.  EST on the date that the licensee certifies to the
   Commission that its initial space station has been successfully placed into
   orbit and that the operations of that satellite fully conform to the terms
   and conditions of the space station system authorization. All space stations
   launched and brought into service during the 15-year license term shall
   operate pursuant to the system authorization, and the operating authority
   for all space stations will terminate upon the expiration of the system
   license.

   (e) Renewal of licenses. Applications for renewals of earth station licenses
   must be submitted on FCC Form 312R no earlier than 90 days, and no later
   than 30 days, before the expiration date of the license. Applications for
   space station system replacement authorization for non-geostationary orbit
   satellites shall be filed no earlier than 90 days, and no later than 30
   days, prior to the end of the twelfth year of the existing license term.

   [ 56 FR 24016 , May 28, 1991, as amended at  58 FR 68059 , Dec. 23, 1993;  59 FR 53327 , Oct. 21, 1994. Redesignated and amended at  62 FR 5928 , 5929, Feb. 10,
   1997;  65 FR 59142 , Oct. 4, 2000;  67 FR 12485 , Mar. 19, 2002;  67 FR 51113 ,
   Aug. 7, 2002;  68 FR 51503 , Aug. 27, 2003;  68 FR 63999 , Nov. 12, 2003]