SpaceX Plans To Orbit Cell Phone Starlink Constellation By Aug. 31 – Aviation Week

SpaceX plans to place its first direct-to-cellular phone Starlink constellation in orbit by the end of August.

The company aims to initially provide text messaging services over its low-Earth-orbit satellites to T-Mobile customers using unmodified cellphones operating with standard LTE/4G protocols. Service is expected to start this year, according to SpaceXs website.

The rocket and satellite manufacturer lofted its first 21 direct-to-cellphone Starlink satellites on Jan. 2. Its plan to have the constellation orbiting Earth by the end of August was announced by Jon Edwards, SpaceX vice president of Falcon Launch Vehicles, on Feb. 26 on the social media website X.

SpaceX told the FCC in November that it planned to operate 840 examples of the type over the next 6 months. In December, the FCC cleared SpaceX to start testing the technology.

SpaceX sent its first text messages over an initial batch of direct-to-cellular Starlink satellites in January. The company posted a text and emoji message to X for the first time using the satellites on Feb. 25.

SpaceX and T-Mobile ultimately aim to expand satellite-based cellular service to include voice and data by 2025, with internet-of-things devices connected in 2026. The satellite-based service would cover phone users in areas out of range of terrestrial cell towers.

In addition to launch customer T-Mobile, SpaceX has signed agreements with Australias Optus, Canadas Rogers, Entel in Chile and Peru, Japans KDDI, New Zealands One NZ, and Switzerlands Salt.

Direct-to-cellular phone Starlink satellites carry an LTE modem board that acts like a cell tower in space. However, because the satellites are orbiting hundreds of kilometers above Earth and at speeds of 7.7 km/sec., the service is challenged by LTE timing, the Doppler effect and latency constraints.

We are just at the edge of physics where LTE is achievable and reliable, the company says on its website.

SpaceX is working to lift more Starlink satellites on each launch of its Falcon 9 rocket. It recently increased to 24 the number of Starlink satellites carried on the Falcon 9 for its highest-ever payload of 17.5 tons, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Feb. 25.

The goal of the Falcon and Starlink teams is to get to 28 by end of year, Michael Nicholls, vice president of Starlink Engineering, said on X on Feb. 26.

With contributions from Irene Klotz

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SpaceX Plans To Orbit Cell Phone Starlink Constellation By Aug. 31 - Aviation Week