SpaceX will begin launching its first Starlink test satellites next week

[Polycount]

In context: SpaceX has been working to get its satellite-based broadband service, Starlink, off the ground for a couple of years now. It started to finally get the ball rolling on that process in November when it secured permission to launch over 7,000 satellites to get the network up and running. Later, in February, the space company sought FCC permission to operate roughly one million ground-based "earth stations" to communicate with the network.

Now, just a few months later, SpaceX is ramping up its plans to begin launching "dozens" of test broadband satellites as early as next week.

This early test will be a crucial precursor to Starlink's full-scale service launch, which will take place later in 2019 -- assuming all goes well, anyway. As SpaceX is well aware following the recent destruction of its Crew Dragon test capsule, even the best-laid plans can be ruined due to unforeseen circumstances.

To be clear, although SpaceX's service satellites will begin launching this year, Starlink won't necessarily be available on a consumer basis for quite some time. The earth stations SpaceX is hoping to deploy won't be setup until 2020 at the earliest, and Starlink will probably need a fair bit of beta testing before it launches on a wider scale.

Still, we're looking forward to seeing how the company's preparations work out in the coming weeks and months. As always, we'll keep you updated if any interesting developments occur during that time frame.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/80023-spacex-begin-launching-first-starlink-test-satellites-next.html

 

[Uncle Al]

Soooooo ..... what if the grand experiment fails? We'll just have that much more space junk for everything else to have to navigate through. On the good side, there will be more shooting stars to make a wish on ..... LOL

 

[J L Brown]

I like the idea of low-latency satellite based internet service; and there is no question that this will be a revenue goldmine for SpaceX... but does Elon really need to be picking this big of a fight with yet another set of wealthy, entrenched monolopies?

 

[Capaill]

Soooooo ..... what if the grand experiment fails? We'll just have that much more space junk for everything else to have to navigate through. On the good side, there will be more shooting stars to make a wish on ..... LOL

It'll get even more interesting when a few competing companies start doing the same thing. Especially from companies that the FCC doesn't have jurisdiction over. With that many satellites zooming around the lower atmosphere, slamming into each other and falling from the sky, I'll have to replace my tinfoil hat with a titanium helmet.

 

[Uncle Al]

It'll get even more interesting when a few competing companies start doing the same thing. Especially from companies that the FCC doesn't have jurisdiction over. With that many satellites zooming around the lower atmosphere, slamming into each other and falling from the sky, I'll have to replace my tinfoil hat with a titanium helmet.

I wonder if you can get the "game" edition and pick the satellite of your choice to command and control? WOW .... your own edition of Space Bumper Cars!!!!

 

[fluffydestroyer]

Soooooo ..... what if the grand experiment fails? We'll just have that much more space junk for everything else to have to navigate through. On the good side, there will be more shooting stars to make a wish on ..... LOL

It'll get even more interesting when a few competing companies start doing the same thing. Especially from companies that the FCC doesn't have jurisdiction over. With that many satellites zooming around the lower atmosphere, slamming into each other and falling from the sky, I'll have to replace my tinfoil hat with a titanium helmet.

I wonder if they ever thought about that ? what if xyz satellite fails. Man the number of trash in space around our planet is getting bigger. I wonder if we'll be ever be able to go in space at one point at this rate. I guess we'll be stuck at some point hehe

 

[Karlos95]

Soooooo ..... what if the grand experiment fails? We'll just have that much more space junk for everything else to have to navigate through. On the good side, there will be more shooting stars to make a wish on ..... LOL

Look up SAS.ASX, a company I have been following on the stock market. They have tested it already and it works. I hope elon brings it to australia, out internet is the worst.
Sas failed with money management and management so they probably wont be around much longer.

 

[Uncle Al]

Look up SAS.ASX, a company I have been following on the stock market. They have tested it already and it works. I hope elon brings it to australia, out internet is the worst.
Sas failed with money management and management so they probably wont be around much longer.

WHAT?!?!?!?! There is no plan there to strap on the 5G antenna to the top of each Roo so you have mobile coverage??? Oh, the pain, the pain!

 

[Uncle Al]

I wonder if they ever thought about that ? what if xyz satellite fails. Man the number of trash in space around our planet is getting bigger. I wonder if we'll be ever be able to go in space at one point at this rate. I guess we'll be stuck at some point hehe

Of course, if the blanket of junk gets thick enough we won't have to worry so much about those rogue meteorites and poor Bruce Willis can finally take a break!

 

[Karlos95]

WHAT?!?!?!?! There is no plan there to strap on the 5G antenna to the top of each Roo so you have mobile coverage??? Oh, the pain, the pain!

Nah too many old donkeys over here screaming 5G will give you cancer so that plan has been pushed back a few years.

 

[Uncle Al]

Nah too many old donkeys over here screaming 5G will give you cancer so that plan has been pushed back a few years.

Actually, the old donkey's have a valid point. The higher the frequency the greater the damage, but it's' "short lived" meaning the real danger would be on the transmitting end, but if they do what is proposed in the USA of putting a short antenna on every other telephone pole is residential area's there would be an "increased potential", especially for young children.
The main stink over here is that (1) there has been very little realistic and documented testing and (2) the telephone companies have been pushing our Congress and the FCC to pass laws exempting them from any kind of legal damages from 5G, which can't help but make you a little suspicious, especially when the companies won't answer the question of "why?" LOL

 

[DaveBG]

Soooooo ..... what if the grand experiment fails? We'll just have that much more space junk for everything else to have to navigate through. On the good side, there will be more shooting stars to make a wish on ..... LOL

The orbit of those satellites is low and they will fall very soon by themselves. His plan is to replenish them periodically.

 

[Karlos95]

Actually, the old donkey's have a valid point. The higher the frequency the greater the damage, but it's' "short lived" meaning the real danger would be on the transmitting end, but if they do what is proposed in the USA of putting a short antenna on every other telephone pole is residential area's there would be an "increased potential", especially for young children.
The main stink over here is that (1) there has been very little realistic and documented testing and (2) the telephone companies have been pushing our Congress and the FCC to pass laws exempting them from any kind of legal damages from 5G, which can't help but make you a little suspicious, especially when the companies won't answer the question of "why?" LOL

Well the sooner SpaceX gets these sats up the better for everyone I guess (besides the ISPs) I just hope they will have affordable plans in place.