SpaceX’s Starlink constellation is rapidly growing to provide broadband internet coverage globally. Approximately 1,205 small, single-solar array Starlink satellites are currently orbiting Earth, beaming internet signals down to user dish antennas. SpaceX provides beta service across regions located in high-latitudes, such as the northern United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. As they launch more satellites, the coverage area will expand. SpaceX started to accept service pre-orders last month via Starlink.com. The Starlink phased-array dish antenna and Wi-Fi router is priced at $499 USD with a monthly service cost of $99 USD. Company officials said it will be the same price in all countries.
This week, SpaceX announced it plans to rollout Starlink internet service in Germany and New Zealand for the first time and expand its existing service in the United Kingdom. Last month, a Berlin resident saw a Starlink dish antenna atop SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s Tesla Gigafactory, where his electric company will manufacture Tesla batteries and powertrains, as well as assemble the Tesla Model Y vehicle. The factory is still under construction and expected to begin operations until July 2021. New Zealand is located Southeast of Australia. Both countries are located at a Southern latitude. These latitudes could soon have Starlink internet coverage, both Australia and New Zealand already approved Starlink as an internet provider.
In advance of this evening's planned launch, SpaceX says it is beginning Starlink service in Germany and New Zealand this week, and will expand its existing service in the UK.
— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) March 9, 2021
This evening, SpaceX is scheduled to launch 60 more Starlink satellites to the growing internet network that will enable the company to connect more customers. A historic Falcon 9 booster will liftoff a sixth time at 9:58 p.m. EST today to launch the Starlink cluster from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch will increase the constellation size to around 1,265 internet-beaming satellites orbiting our planet. Overall, the Starlink constellation will have 12,000 satellites to provide reliable low-latency, high-speed internet on a global scale.
SpaceX is also looking forward to provide Starlink broadband connection to ‘moving vehicles’, including aircraft and ships at sea where communication systems are unreliable. Musk said the service could also be available for large vehicles like trucks and RVs, stating that the Starlink terminal is too large for a smaller car. This week, the company’s plans were revealed in a U.S. filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in which SpaceX requested to obtain a license to operate Starlink on moving vehicles. “Granting this application would serve the public interest by authorizing a new class of ground-based components for SpaceX's satellite system that will expand the range of broadband capabilities available to moving vehicles throughout the United States and to moving vessels and aircraft worldwide,” SpaceX told the Commission.
Historic SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster That Previously Launched Astronauts Will Launch A Starlink Fleet Tonighthttps://t.co/BoCJptTSYr
— Tesmanian.com (@Tesmanian_com) March 9, 2021
Featured Image Source: SpaceX
About the Author
Evelyn Arevalo
Evelyn J. Arevalo joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover news as a Space Journalist and SpaceX Starbase Texas Correspondent. Evelyn is specialized in rocketry and space exploration. The main topics she covers are SpaceX and NASA.
