SpaceX is signaling it’s able to construct much more floor stations throughout the US to provide high-speed web to Starlink satellites in area.
The corporate on Thursday filed for a “blanket” license with the FCC to develop the ground-based infrastructure supporting the satellite tv for pc web system. By the license, SpaceX seeks to construct new “Ka band” gateway stations able to beaming broadband knowledge to first- and second-generation Starlink satellites.
Beforehand, SpaceX utilized for FCC authorization to function gateway stations by way of particular person filings, every one tailor-made for a choose location. SpaceX famous it’s already been licensed to “function over 60 gateway earth stations” within the nation. However now the corporate is asking for a blanket license for the US, citing a request for “higher flexibility to deploy earth stations the place and as wanted.”
“This may each assist to hurry broadband deployment all through the USA by enabling SpaceX Companies to deploy gateways shortly to satisfy rising demand and add capability and connectivity as wants come up, and likewise relieve the burden on the fee of processing SpaceX Companies’ earth station purposes,” the corporate added.
The submitting additionally reveals some specs to the proposed gateway stations. “Every earth station will make the most of as much as 40 equivalent 1.85-meter antennas,” the corporate wrote. “Per SpaceX’s area station authorizations, earth stations will concurrently talk with as much as eight Gen1 satellites and as much as thirty-two Gen2 satellites.”
SpaceX is requesting the FCC approve the license as quickly as potential. It arrives because the second-gen Starlink community guarantees to enhance speeds and handle congestion points that may hobble the satellite tv for pc web service for a lot of customers throughout the US. The corporate has already begun to launch second-gen Starlink satellites, and it plans to launch much more at a speedy cadence, as soon as the corporate can start safely flying its Starship car into orbit.
