SpaceX aims to provide Starlink internet services worldwide to finance its space program. The company has launched small satellites, that will form a constellation of 12,000 altogether, to transmit high-speed, low-latency broadband internet around the globe. Each deployment of 60 satellites can provide 1 bandwidth terabit, what can potentially support 40.000 users who stream high definition content simultaneously. The network will serve “3 or 4% harder to reach customers” for telecommunications companies. Rural areas where Internet connectivity is unreliable or non-existent will benefit from the Starlink network. No moment, the company has already implemented 540 satellites in low Earth orbit.
In early January, SpaceX founder and chief engineer Elon Musk, shared that the terminal “looks like a round UFO, thin and flat on a stick”. Musk explained that “The Starlink terminal has motors to automatically adjust the angle to view the sky”. The device technology is advanced enough to find the signal by itself, users will not have to find out where the Starlink constellation may be or adjust the terminal as it moves across the sky, it will move automatically. He also said that setting up the Starlink network would be relatively easy. The user just connects it to electricity and points to the sky or vice versa, “No training is required”.
When can we hear more about the starlink terminals?
- Anner J. Bonilla 🇵🇷🛩️🔋🔧 (@annerajb) January 7, 2020
This week, a Reddit user shared a collection of photographs that reveal what the SpaceX Starlink user terminal looks like. Photos are from a location in Merrillan, WI, which appears to be a SpaceX base station to receive the signal from Starlink. The terminals ‘UFO‘ have a tag that says “SpaceX property – Prototype”.
Credit of all images: r/darkpenguin22 via Reddit
In March, a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorized SpaceX to operate until 1 million Starlink terminal units to receive Internet connectivity. According to FCC authorization, the terminal has 0,48 meters in diameter. The document also details that the “completion date”, construction and start of operation is Saturday, 13 March 2021 ”. SpaceX plans to start offering internet services in northern parts of the United States and Canada this year and global coverage by 2021. SpaceX recently released a form to offer Starlink broadband Internet in Canada.
Source: www.tesmanian.com
