The Big Leap over Global Broadband: Elon Musk shares critical Starlink data

Key Highlights

• Mr. Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), has given the latest details about his company's Starlink satellite internet constellation.
• Starlink is SpaceX's internet service that uses small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) to broadcast the Internet to its consumers.
• Due to the firm's quick launch schedule, SpaceX has maintained Starlink as the world's largest operational internet constellation, and the business is actively upgrading the satellites with laser-based communication.
• Musk revealed the latest information via his social media site, Twitter, where he detailed the number of Starlink satellites currently in orbit and his company's plans to activate newer optical communication-capable spacecraft.

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Mr. Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), has given the latest details about his company's Starlink satellite internet constellation. Starlink is SpaceX's internet service that uses small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) to broadcast the Internet to its consumers. 

Due to the firm's quick launch schedule, SpaceX has maintained Starlink as the world's largest operational internet constellation, and the business is actively upgrading the satellites with laser-based communication. 

This will enable Starlink to broaden its coverage and service places that are inaccessible without ground stations connecting the satellites and users to internet servers.

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Starlink Will Immediately Commence Operation of Laser Links Between Satellites, Musk Confirms

Mr. Musk revealed the latest information via his social media site, Twitter, where he detailed the number of Starlink satellites currently in orbit and his company's plans to activate newer optical communication-capable spacecraft. These are critical for determining the present capacity of the internet service, which has come under fire from rivals in the Federal Communications Commission's processes for spectrum sharing and licencing (FCC).

According to the CEO, Starlink presently operates over 1,400 satellites and will shortly activate its first laser-connected satellite. As he stated:

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These details are critical because they represent a rare instance in which SpaceX has disclosed operational spacecraft data. Generally, the firm is more forthright regarding the overall number of satellites launched to date, which exceeds Musk's claim.

The most recent such disclosure came via a file with the Federal Communications Commission by SpaceX's director of satellite policy, Mr. David Godlman. This occurred during the Commission's proceeding to determine whether to permanently authorise the business to launch the internet spaceship using its next-generation launch vehicle platform, Starship. 

SpaceX is under fire from rivals who claim the modification breaches FCC rules. SpaceX updated their application for the second generation Starlink satellites to include Starship for a faster cadence.Mr. Goldman stated in the filing to the FCC that his company had launched about 1,800 satellites by mid-November of last year.

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