SpaceX has launched 51 of its Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch happened at 11.55 pm (3.55am UTC on September 14th). The Version 1.5 satellites were launched into Polar orbits and have laser inter-satellite links. The Falcon 9 booster supporting this mission previously launched Telstar 18 Vantage, Iridium-8, and seven […]
It seems SpaceX’s Starlink service is gearing up to meet its outstanding demand and widen distribution of its broadband by satellite service. At last week’s Satellite 2021 show in Washington, SpaceX’s CFO Bret Johnsen told delegates that the company is currently losing money on each and every Starlink system it supplies and in particular on […]
Bret Johnsen, SpaceX’s CFO & President of Strategic Acquisitions, told delegates to Satellite 2021 in Washington DC that they could still be looking at acquisition possibilities. SpaceX is in the process of buying Swarm Technologies, which makes small ‘cube’ and other similar-sized satellites specialising in Internet of Things services. SpaceX started the process back in […]
Elon Musk says his team are busy “figuring out the regulatory approval process” for launching the Starlink broadband service over India. Musk was asked the question on Twitter as to when his service might start in India, and responded a few hours later. India could well be extra important in Starlink’s ambitions given that Bharti-backed […]
Elon Musk has said his Starlink broadband by satellite service will operate its data-transfer of customer’s material at “the speed of light”. Musk’s comments refer to the use of laser transmitters on board the ‘next generation’ of satellites. Early satellites already in space, about 1700 of them, will depend on non-laser ground-based gateway links to […]
Amazon, in a formal letter to the FCC last week, has objected to SpaceX enhanced plan for almost 30,000 new Starlink satellites and their adjusted orbits. SpaceX, in two submissions, said it could offer a better service by adjusting the existing planned orbits. Amazon, which is developing its own low Earth orbiting system, Project Kuiper/Kuiper […]
A report from Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, states that 1740 of SpaceX’s broadband satellites have been launched. However, 98 have already re-entered the atmosphere and he says another 50 “are on their way down”. This still means there are some 1600 working satellites in orbit. McDowell talks specifically about […]
SpaceX has delivered more than 100,000 of its Starlink broadband-by-satellite terminals to users. It still has a way to go to satisfy consumer demand insofar as it has a waiting list of more than 500,000 would-be consumers for its Starlink system which comprises its ‘Dishy McFlatface’ antenna, modem and WiFi router, power cables and a […]
Space is an increasingly crowded place and in the first 6 months of the year (to May 31st) SpaceX says it has had to carry out 2219 collision avoidance manoeuvres for its orbiting Starlink fleet. This aerial ballet of ever-moving satellites comes from data supplied by the US Space Force’s 18th Space Control Squadron. As […]
SpaceX has submitted orbital modifications to its ‘next generation’ Starlink satellites to the FCC. If approved, the new Generation 2 Starlink craft will be able to offer higher-density services to rural areas. SpaceX has proposed two variants to the FCC and will await the Commission’s verdict/approval before proceeding with a modification to its existing satellite […]