SpaceX Internet Satellite Network Plan Receives FCC Approval

The US telecom regulator, the Federal Communications Commission, has given the green light to SpaceX’s plan to place 4425 satellites in orbit to provide fast broadband internet in the US and worldwide.

All five committee members voted in favor of the plan, which involves 4,425 satellites operating at altitudes of approximately 1100 to 1300km. The satellite network will be called Starlink and will operate on the Ka-band of frequencies between 26.5 and 40GHz and the Ku-band, which covers frequencies between 12 and 18GHz.

According to FCC approval, SpaceX must have 50 percent of its satellites operational by March 29, 2024. The other half must be operational by 29 March 2027. In February, SpaceX already launched two test satellites for the Internet satellite network.

Ultimately, the Internet satellite network will require another 7,518 satellites to go into space; these satellites come into much lower orbits around the earth and will also operate on other frequencies: in the V band, which ranges from 40 to 75 GHz. There is as yet no permission for the launch of these satellites; the current FCC approval only covers the 4425 satellites that will operate at higher altitudes.

SpaceX’s competitors in providing Internet services via satellites filed some objections to Starlink with the FCC. Satellite operator OneWeb, for example, wanted the FCC to require SpaceX to respect a 125km buffer zone between the two companies’ satellites. However, this was rejected by the FCC, as it would prevent effective operation of the SpaceX network.

SpaceX has received approval for the plan, but on the condition that an updated and improved plan for limiting space debris is made. The FCC points to NASA that the sheer volume of satellites included in the SpaceX plan necessitates a further assessment of the reliability of the satellites and the systems to remove them from orbit. SpaceX needs to do more research on this.