SpaceX Receives FCC Approval for Starlink Satellite Constellation

DooKey

DooKey

[H]F Junkie
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The FCC has approved the deployment of a 4,425 satellite constellation for SpaceX. The satellites will be in support of the Starlink internet service that Elon Musk envisions will provide affordable internet services to remote areas that are currently underserved. However, there is one caveat, half of the satellites have to be deployed within the next 6 years and all of them within 9 years or a new approval must be applied for. I don't know about you guys, but I think that's a lot of stuff going into orbit in a short period of time and I believe SpaceX is going to be hard-pressed to meet the deadlines required by the FCC. Good luck Mr. Musk.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also said SpaceX’s approval is conditioned on an updated de-orbit plan, since the sheer number of satellites envisioned by SpaceX’s “Starlink” constellation goes far beyond what current guidelines consider manageable.
 
If there's one thing that I expect from Elon Musk, it's setting ambitious goals and meeting them in a timely matter.

All kidding aside, as much as he misses his timelines, he really pushes things forward, especially in areas where there's not much interest through entrenched players in related fields. Until recently, no company has been really interested in or capable of delivering fast, reliable, affordable internet to remote areas. I think we can all agree that a SpaceX-offered, low-cost internet service available to citizens of developing nations is a good thing when the alternatives would be coming from Facebook or Google.
 
Elon Musk is just saying random things again and everyone cheers him on as he racks up $billions of debt and collect $billions in government grants/tax exclusions.

Dude is a snake oil salesman and how much the tech media just takes whatever crazy crap he says as gospel is sad.
 
One Falcon Heavy launch could probably put most of them up there. And I really don't see any problem with manufacturing that many in that time frame either.
 
tbonepat11 said:
Elon Musk is just saying random things again and everyone cheers him on as he racks up $billions of debt and collect $billions in government grants/tax exclusions.

Dude is a snake oil salesman and how much the tech media just takes whatever crazy crap he says as gospel is sad.
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Really? Billions in government grants? I'd like to see a breakdown of that. Bet you can't provide a link to one.
 
PaulP said:
One Falcon Heavy launch could probably put most of them up there. And I really don't see any problem with manufacturing that many in that time frame either.
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Uhh... more like 100 Falcon Heavy launches. With every launch having to go to a different orbital plane. And the way the logistics work out, it'll probably make more sense to use Falcon 9, because Falcon Heavy ends up rather unhelpfully volume-limited.

Long story short, we're probably looking at about 20-25 Falcon 9 launches per year, every year, for the next nine years to loft these birds (with the occasional Falcon Heavy for problematic orbital trajectories).
 
Seems overkill to get high latency Internet out to the lonely farmers. I live pretty much out in the middle of nowhere and we have 150Mbps cable. That remote need cannot possibly justify the cost of such an undertaking, so yeah pretty much typical Musk hyperbole.

Probably should finish the hyperloop first, or maybe make profits at Tesla.
 
My guess is that they're going to have to shrink them to get more up that quickly. The current MicroStat2a/b specs put it at 400kg and 1m*.7m*.7m.

The F9-FT LEO payload is 22,800 kg (that's 57sats, if they fit).

Lifetime is estimated at 1yr, but I assume that's for the prototype testing.
 
IF... spacex can pull this off, it would be interesting to see a sole ISP that is truly global in its reach. Also being low earth orbit should help mitigate the latency you see with existing satellite internet services.

Also, seeing the falcons flying and returning with the needed pace will be interesting.
 
tbonepat11 said:
Elon Musk is just saying random things again and everyone cheers him on as he racks up $billions of debt and collect $billions in government grants/tax exclusions.

Dude is a snake oil salesman and how much the tech media just takes whatever crazy crap he says as gospel is sad.
Click to expand...
Yeah dozens of successful launches, revolutionizing access to space, making electricity attractive in cars, thus forcing all big brands to follow suit: That's all snake oil. Or perhaps you should pull your jealous head out of your ass and open your eyes to reality.

Musk isn't right about everything he says, I'd be the first to confront him about his fear mongering over AI technology. But that his influence made the world a better place to live in is irrefutable.
 
Spidey329 said:
My guess is that they're going to have to shrink them to get more up that quickly. The current MicroStat2a/b specs put it at 400kg and 1m*.7m*.7m.

The F9-FT LEO payload is 22,800 kg (that's 57sats, if they fit).
Click to expand...

Yeah. Both Boeing and SpaceX have filed petitions to waive the 6yr limit. We'll see what happens.

Lifetime is estimated at 1yr, but I assume that's for the prototype testing.
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They're currently planning on launching most of these to ~340km. They can't last more than a couple years before they burn up. It minimizes orbital debris pollution and allows for very low latency but it means they'll have to replenish the satellites constantly.
 
SpaceX may be behind many of their original schedules but they do seem to be delivering functioning products. If the tests show the system is workable, they could probably piggyback many of the satellites on rockets being used for other missions. One advantage to the lower orbit/shorter lifespan is the satellite can be cheaper and less hardened. No need to design in a 10 year lifespan if the bird will burn up in 2. Plus, by launching thousands, they can suffer some failures without hurting the network.
 
RealBeast said:
Seems overkill to get high latency Internet out to the lonely farmers. I live pretty much out in the middle of nowhere and we have 150Mbps cable. That remote need cannot possibly justify the cost of such an undertaking, so yeah pretty much typical Musk hyperbole.

Probably should finish the hyperloop first, or maybe make profits at Tesla.
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This has nothing to do with lonely farmers with 150Mbit internet, and everything to do with lonely farmers without 150Mbit internet. ~10 million in the US are still stuck on dialup. ~30 million on trash-tier DSL. Tens of millions with no functional broadband competition in their area.

And that's just in the US. There's an entire other 95% of the world out there, chock full of underserved markets.

Spidey329 said:
Lifetime is estimated at 1yr, but I assume that's for the prototype testing.
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Projected lifetime of the finished product is 5-7 years.

DeathFromBelow said:
They're currently planning on launching most of these to ~340km. They can't last more than a couple years before they burn up. It minimizes orbital debris pollution and allows for very low latency but it means they'll have to replenish the satellites constantly.
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That's the planned second wave of ~7500 satellites. This first wave of 4400 satellites is going up to ~1200km.

And, I have to wonder if someone at SpaceX is eyeballing the ESA's recent work on air-breathing ion engines and... considering...
 
RealBeast said:
Seems overkill to get high latency Internet out to the lonely farmers. I live pretty much out in the middle of nowhere and we have 150Mbps cable. That remote need cannot possibly justify the cost of such an undertaking, so yeah pretty much typical Musk hyperbole.

Probably should finish the hyperloop first, or maybe make profits at Tesla.
Click to expand...

There is a massive market for this. Sat Com market is ~100B per year. ISP market adds in 100s of billions more. There are 3 separate groups rushing to get there first. This isn't just about farmers in the middle of no where. This will end up on planes, trains, and boats as well. Not to mention any outpost anywhere that needs datacoms.

Nor is it high latency. Latency will be in the <50ms range.
 
M76 said:
Yeah dozens of successful launches, revolutionizing access to space, making electricity attractive in cars, thus forcing all big brands to follow suit: That's all snake oil. Or perhaps you should pull your jealous head out of your ass and open your eyes to reality.

Musk isn't right about everything he says, I'd be the first to confront him about his fear mongering over AI technology. But that his influence made the world a better place to live in is irrefutable.
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I would add, if everything he has done imploded tomorrow.. he still has done more than you run of the mill quarter to quarter CEO.
 
XenIneX said:
This has nothing to do with lonely farmers with 150Mbit internet, and everything to do with lonely farmers without 150Mbit internet. ~10 million in the US are still stuck on dialup. ~30 million on trash-tier DSL. Tens of millions with no functional broadband competition in their area.

And that's just in the US. There's an entire other 95% of the world out there, chock full of underserved markets.
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Not only that, the arrogance of the other poster is amusing to me. I live in Sacramento, capital of the "greatest state in the universe (sic),*" and I have two choices. 15Mbps DSL at ~$90 a month (I chose the slightly cheaper ~$75 option for 10Mbps) , or Comcast whatever for the low price of endless rape through every open pore on my body. A short decade ago, that Comcast option was actually slower in my area than the DSL hookup. Lonely farmer? Hardly. Now, the worse bit is I know Surewest/CCI or whoever has laid fiber to houses two blocks down... about 8 years ago. That option still doesn't exist for me or my immediate neighbors.

One doesn't have to live in BFE to be screwed by ISPs.




*if you don't get the meaning of this quote, bug off.
 
Yeah all those "fake" electric cars, and "take" Rockets, and "fake" solar panels, and "fake" battery packs are clearly him scamming the world.

Get real dude.

tbonepat11 said:
Elon Musk is just saying random things again and everyone cheers him on as he racks up $billions of debt and collect $billions in government grants/tax exclusions.

Dude is a snake oil salesman and how much the tech media just takes whatever crazy crap he says as gospel is sad.
Click to expand...
 
RealBeast said:
Seems overkill to get high latency Internet out to the lonely farmers. I live pretty much out in the middle of nowhere and we have 150Mbps cable. That remote need cannot possibly justify the cost of such an undertaking, so yeah pretty much typical Musk hyperbole.

Probably should finish the hyperloop first, or maybe make profits at Tesla.
Click to expand...

Oh to be this naive...
 
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