Sirius Satellite Radio has filed an application with the FCC (PDF) to install four new repeater towers in the states of Alaska and Hawaii.

This is the first time that a satellite radio company has expressed serious interest in covering areas outside of the continental United States. Each repeater is expected to be under 2000 watts of power, so the WCS theoretically shouldn't have an issue with it.

Below are the proposed repeater location:

• Anchorage, AK
• Fairbanks, AK
• Juneau, AK
• Honolulu, HI 

[View FCC Application via Satellite Radio TechWorld] 

XM Satellite Radio's XM-4 satellite was succesfully launched on Monday at 6:49 pm ET from the Sea Launch Odyssey Launch Platform in the open waters of the Pacific Ocean on the equator. Everything was... nominal.

The XM-4 satellite final orbital position at 115 degrees West Longitude will replace XM's first two XM-1 and XM-2 satellites that were launched in 2001, which are expected to go belly-up around the beginning of 2008. For the meantime, both XM-1 and XM-2 will remain as in orbit spares in support of XM-3 and XM-4.

XM-4 is a Boeing BS-702 satellite that has 18 kW of power at the beginning of life, and an expected 15.5 kW at its end-of-life. XM-4 should last XM for 15+ years.

Want to watch video the XM-4 launching? Sure you do, check out the archived webcast here.

(...and yes, I was on vacation that past two days, so I'm doing a little catch up on the news.)