SpaceX's Starlink project aims to provide high-speed internet access to the globe using thousands of low-orbit satellites. However, the company's ambitions don't stop there, as it also plans to expand the Starlink system into the cellular sector, providing satellite signals directly to smartphone users. To achieve this, SpaceX needs to obtain a license from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to test the performance and feasibility of its cellular StarLink system.
This Thursday, the FCC awarded one to SpaceX"Experimental Special Temporary Authorization"(STA), which allows the company to test cellular Starlink systems at more than two dozen locations across the United States. These test sites include Mountain View, California, Kansas City, Kansas, Redmond, Washington, and Dallas, Texas, among others. The test included transmitting satellite signals to an unmodified T-Mobile phone on the ground, using T-Mobile's spectrum in the 1910170261286127514457915 and 1990170261286127514457995 MHz radio bands. SpaceX has 180 days to conduct the experiment, which is until June 14.
This temporary authorization is a continuation of the FCC's partial approval a week ago for SpaceX to begin deploying cellular Starlink systems. The initial approval allowed SpaceX to begin launching satellites equipped with cellular connectivity technology, but only for short-term tests to verify that the antennas on the satellites were working properly, and any other operations were prohibited. In contrast, Thursday's temporary authorization allowed SpaceX to test the primary purpose of the cellular StarLink system: to transmit data to unmodified smartphones on Earth.
According to SpaceX, the test will eventually use 840 satellites each acting as a base station in orbit to send connectivity signals to 2,000 test devices on the ground. The company initially tried to use the system at 13 locations, but later made it clear to the FCC that another 12 were available"Radio astronomy site"Also on the list. These sites were set up by the FCC to protect radio astronomy observations, and SpaceX needed to avoid interfering with them.
"At any given time, about 60 of these 840 [satellite] payloads will be authorized to service U.S. cell phones under this trial," SpaceX said in its application. The satellites will operate at an altitude of 550 km and have a range of about 1000 km. Each satellite is equipped with two cellular payloads, each with four beams, each with a 60-degree sector coverage area. ”
The results of the cellular Starlink system will help SpaceX and FCC address the question of whether the system could cause radio interference across the United States, including other carriers and satellite vendors. Companies including AT&T, Dish Network, and GlobalStar have expressed concern that cellular StarLink systems could interfere with their own services. The companies believe that SpaceX's satellites could collide with signals between cellular base stations or other satellites on the ground, resulting in reduced or interrupted signal quality.
SpaceX has published its own lengthy rebuttal arguing that the cellular StarLink system will only benefit U.S. consumers and not harm the radio signal. The company claims that the launch angles, transmit power and frequency allocation of its satellites have been carefully designed to avoid interference with any existing or planned services. The company also said its satellites will use advanced digital signal processing technology to enable dynamic spectrum sharing and interference cancellation.
However, the FCC's temporary authorization allows U.S. regulators to terminate testing if necessary. "In the event of any harmful interference under the STA (Special Temporary Authorization) granted this time, SpaceX must cease operations immediately upon notification of the interference," the document states. SpaceX must immediately notify the Commission in writing of such an incident and provide a detailed description of the interference, the source of the interference, the timing of the interference, the frequency of the interference, the intensity of the interference, and any mitigation measures taken. ”
SpaceX aims to launch a cellular StarLink system for T-Mobile and other partners sometime next year, starting with testing SMS, with voice and data services arriving in 2025. With the cellular StarLink system, the company hopes to provide better coverage and service to remote areas that are difficult to access traditional cellular networks. In addition, the company plans to leverage its satellite network to provide high-speed internet connectivity to aircraft, ships, trucks, and other mobile platforms.
The cellular StarLink system is a major extension of SpaceX's StarLink program and another innovation for the company in space. If the system can be successfully tested and officially licensed, it has the potential to change the global communications landscape, bringing faster, easier, and more reliable satellite signals to hundreds of millions of people. SpaceX was given permission to send satellite signals to mobile phones