Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Property and Equipment

v2.4.0.6
Property and Equipment
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Property and Equipment [Abstract]  
Property and Equipment
(10) Property and Equipment

Property and equipment, net, consists of the following:

 

 

                 
    December 31,
2011
    December 31,
2010
 

Satellite system

  $ 1,943,537     $ 1,943,537  

Terrestrial repeater network

    112,440       109,582  

Leasehold improvements

    43,455       43,567  

Broadcast studio equipment

    53,903       51,985  

Capitalized software and hardware

    193,301       163,689  

Satellite telemetry, tracking and control facilities

    60,539       57,665  

Furniture, fixtures, equipment and other

    60,283       63,265  

Land

    38,411       38,411  

Building

    57,185       56,685  

Construction in progress

    372,508       297,771  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total property and equipment

    2,935,562       2,826,157  

Accumulated depreciation and amortization

    (1,261,643     (1,064,883
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Property and equipment, net

  $ 1,673,919     $ 1,761,274  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Construction in progress consists of the following:

 

 

                 
    December 31,
2011
    December 31,
2010
 

Satellite system

  $ 343,932     $ 262,744  

Terrestrial repeater network

    19,194       19,239  

Other

    9,382       15,788  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Construction in progress

  $ 372,508     $ 297,771  
   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization expense on property and equipment was $208,830, $207,367 and $232,863 for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. We retired property and equipment of $12,158 during the year ended December 31, 2011 and $155,000, which included our FM-4 satellite, during the year ended December 31, 2010.

Satellites

We currently own a fleet of nine orbiting satellites. The chart below provides certain information on these satellites:

 

 

                 

Satellite Designation

  Year Delivered     Estimated End of
Depreciable Life
 

FM-1

    2000       2013  

FM-2

    2000       2013  

FM-3

    2000       2015  

FM-5

    2009       2024  

XM-1

    2001       2013  

XM-2

    2001       2013  

XM-3

    2005       2020  

XM-4

    2006       2021  

XM-5

    2010       2025  

We own four orbiting satellites for use in the Sirius system. Space Systems/Loral has constructed another satellite (FM-6) for use in this system.

In 2010, we recorded an other than temporary impairment charge of $56,100 to Restructuring, impairments, and related costs in our consolidated statement of operations for FM-4, a ground spare satellite held in storage since 2002. We determined that the probability of launching FM-4 was remote due to the launch of XM-5 in 2010.

We own five orbiting satellites for use in the XM system. Four of these satellites were manufactured by Boeing Satellite Systems International and one was manufactured by Space Systems/Loral.

During the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, we capitalized expenditures, including interest, of $81,189 and $223,928, respectively, related to the construction of our FM-6 and XM-5 satellites and related launch vehicles.