Advanced Television

spacex

Starlink delivering 160 Mb/s

Elon Musk’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite service is providing impressive speeds to its beta-test users. Numerous reports are emerging that downlink speeds, according to speedtest specialist Ookla, are reaching 160 Mb/s and for at least one rural customer in Montana stated that his downlink speed was 174 Mb/s and upload of 33 Mb/s. Another on the West […]

November 4, 2020By Chris Forrester

Telesat: “No low-cost LEO antennas in near term”

Elon Musk is inviting consumers in rural America to install his Starlink satellite broadband system, at a cost of $99 a month. They also have to pay $499 for the antenna and its associated kit. However, it is widely accepted that Musk’s SpaceX is swallowing some of the antenna’s costs. As recently reported, the search […]

November 2, 2020By Chris Forrester

SpaceX prices Starlink services

Elon Musk’s Starlink service will cost US rural subscribers $99 (€84) a month. The beta-test users will also have to pay $499 for the phased-array ground terminal, a tripod stand for the antenna and a WiFi router. This price seems high, but for rural and frequently isolated potential users it could prove invaluable. The pricing […]

October 28, 2020By Chris Forrester

Bank: SpaceX worth $100bn

Elon Musk is sitting on another gold mine if a valuation from Morgan Stanley is anywhere near accurate. The bank – in a best-case valuation – says that Musk’s SpaceX rocket business and its Starlink satellite subsidiary is worth $100 billion. This is undoubtedly good news for Musk, not only in the core valuation but […]

October 26, 2020

SpaceX lofts another 60 satellites

Despite a few technical and weather-related delays SpaceX successfully launched another 60 of its Starlink high-speed broadband-by-satellite craft into orbit on October 24th from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral (at 15.31 UTC). This extra batch of 60 satellites was the 15th launch for the Starlink fleet, and takes the overall fleet size to well […]

October 26, 2020By Chris Forrester

Microsoft and SpaceX partner in global satellite project

SpaceX and Microsoft have confirmed a partnership that will see Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing system link with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service. “The collaboration that we’re announcing today will allow us to work together to deliver new offerings for both the public and the private sector to deliver connectivity through Starlink for use on Azure,” […]

October 21, 2020

SpaceX gets Canadian licence

Canada’s Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved an application by SpaceX for a high-speed satellite-based service to and from Canada. SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, applied for a Basic International Telecommunications Services (BITS) licence in May. The approval for the application was granted a week ago according to a letter to the company posted on […]

October 21, 2020By Chris Forrester

SpaceX’s 15th launch readies, but challenges remain

Building on the success of its 14th launch on October 18th, SpaceX is readying its 15th batch of Starlink craft for a possible launch on October 21st. Currently a launch of the next batch of 60 satellites is scheduled for 12.36pm Florida time dependent on the usual weather and any last-minute technical delays. Subject to […]

October 20, 2020

Another 60 Starlink craft enter orbit

SpaceX launched another 60 of its Starlink broadband-by-satellite craft into orbit at 8.25am Florida time on October 18th. This was the 14th batch of Starlink launches and takes the delivered total of Low Earth orbiting satellites to 835 (although some have been deorbited). The 60 satellites on board were deployed into a near-circular orbit some […]

October 19, 2020By Chris Forrester

Musk and SpaceX get HBO treatment

HBO has commissioned a 6-part drama series about SpaceX and its founder, Elon Musk. The episodic drama is based on a book Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance. The series, according to trade magazine Variety, will document how Musk handpicked a group of like-minded engineers to work […]

October 15, 2020By Chris Forrester