U.S. FCC gave SpaceX green light to deploy more than 7,000 additional satellites in low Earth orbit for its high-speed Internet service

Briefing

U.S. FCC gave SpaceX green light to deploy more than 7,000 additional satellites in low Earth orbit for its high-speed Internet service

December 12, 2018

Briefing
  • FCC Approval – U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved private space company SpaceX’s plans to launch more than 7,000 additional satellites to low Earth orbit
  • Starlink – Satellites will be used for SpaceX’s Starlink satellite Internet service, which can connect rural areas and other locations to high-speed 1 Gbps Internet
  • 12,000 Satellites – Previous FCC approval in March 2018 already gave green light for 4,425 satellites to be deployed in space, with latest approval to add another 7,000, totaling almost 12,000 planned for Starlink
  • Launch Plans – SpaceX deployed two satellites in February 2018, with 1,600 to be launched in next few years
  • Timing – Starlink satellite network may not fully launch to market until 2020

Accelerator
Networks and Connectivity, Space Commercialization

Market Disruption
Innovation, Competitiveness and Trade

Organization
SpaceX, U.S. Federal Communications Commission

Source

Original Publication Date
November 15, 2018

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