Motient Corporation
                            10802 Parkridge Boulevard
                              Reston, VA 20191-5416

                                October 9, 2001

BY EDGAR

Barry N. Summer
Assistant Director
Mail Stop 4-7
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549-0407

Re:                  Request for of Registration Statement
                          on Form S-4 of Motient Corp.,
                               File No. 333-63826
                           --------------------------

Dear Mr. Summer:

     Pursuant to Rule 477,  promulgated  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
amended,  Motient  Corporation,  a  Delaware  corporation,  hereby  requests  to
withdraw its registration statement on Form S-4, File No. 333-63826.

     Motient  requests to withdraw the  registration  statement  due to the fact
that the merger  agreement in connection  with which  Motient  proposed to issue
shares  of its stock  under  the  registration  statement  has been  terminated.
Motient believes that a withdrawal of the  registration  statement is consistent
with the public  interest and the  protection of investors.  No securities  were
offered or sold under or in connection with the registration statement.

     If you have any  questions  regarding  this  application,  please  call our
general  counsel,  Mr.  David  Engvall  at (703)  758-6000.  Thank  you for your
assistance in this matter.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    MOTIENT CORPORATION

                                    /s/ Walter V. Purnell, Jr.
                                    Walter V. Purnell, Jr.
                                    Chief Executive Officer and President