Elon Musk's company SpaceX launched its first batch of Starlink satellites designed to connect directly to smartphones on January 2, after obtaining an experimental temporary license to begin testing this capability in the United States. Of the 21 Starlink satellites that launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket at 10:44 p.m. Eastern time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, six of them carry a payload that the company said could provide connectivity to most 4G LTE devices when within range. SpaceX planned to enable text messaging from space this year in partnership with cellular carriers, with the ability to make voice calls and connect to the internet in 2025, though the company still needs approval to offer such services commercially. The first direct-to-smartphone tests will use the cellular spectrum of SpaceX's US mobile partner, T-Mobile. SpaceX has also partnered with mobile operators in Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, New Zealand and Switzerland.
During the launch's live broadcast, Kate Tice, SpaceX's senior manager for quality systems engineering, said the first six “cellular-bound” satellites will be brighter than the 15 Starlink V2 Mini satellites that joined to the mission but are not equipped to connect to smartphone devices. SpaceX planned to work with astronomers to evaluate the impact of its operations on astronomical observations before making any hardware changes to ensure its satellites are as dim as possible, Tice added. In November, SpaceX told the Federal Communications Commission that it planned to launch 840 satellites aimed at cellphones over the next six months.
Falcon 9 launches 21 @Starlink satellites to orbit from California, including six with Direct to Cell capabilities → https://t.co/FgiJ7LOYdK pic.twitter.com/IKBkTSB63C
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 3, 2024
The first launch aimed at cellphones was originally scheduled for mid-December, but was postponed, becoming SpaceX's first mission of 2024 and 296th overall. This was also the first flight for the booster in the Falcon 9 mission, which landed shortly after liftoff on a floating platform in the Pacific Ocean for reuse. SpaceX announced at 11:47 pm Eastern time that Falcon 9 had deployed all 21 Starlink satellites. The 15 Starlink V2 Mini satellites on the mission will increase the capacity of SpaceX's existing low-Earth orbit broadband constellation, which provides high-speed connections to custom-built fixed and mobile satellite user terminals. Meanwhile, startups AST SpaceMobile and Lynk Global are nearing funding deals to expand their dedicated direct-to-device constellations. AST SpaceMobile announced Jan. 2 that it is seeking to secure funding from “several parties” this month before launching its first five commercial satellites early this year aboard a Falcon 9. Lynk Global, which currently provides intermittent services of messaging and other low-bandwidth communications to phones outside of cellular networks in parts of the Solomon Islands, the Cook Islands and Palau, plans to raise money through a merger with the company led by the former professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez.
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