SpaceX, the aerospace firm founded by Elon Musk, successfully launched 21 Starlink satellites on Wednesday, January 3.
Out of the 21 Starlinks satellites, there are six direct-to cell satellites that were launched with the mission of providing advanced internet connectivity, which supports the promise made by the company to provide those services in 2023.
21 Starlink Satellites took out on Falcon 9 Rocket :
After receiving a temporary experimental license to begin testing the capabilities in the US, SpaceX launched its first set of Starlink satellites on January 2. The satellites are intended to connect directly to unaltered smartphones.
A payload carried by six of the twenty-one Starlink satellites that took out from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a Falcon 9 rocket at 10:44 p.m. Eastern time might, according to the corporation, provide connection for the majority of 4G LTE devices when they are within range.
In cooperation with cellular carriers, SpaceX intends to begin enabling messaging from orbit this year. Voice and data communication will follow in 2025, however the business must first obtain regulatory approval before it can offer the services for sale.
SpaceX launches its 1st ‘Direct-to-cell’ satellites :
The first six Starlink satellites were launched with this mission. With “Direct to Cell” functionality, which enables users to connect their smartphones directly to mobile networks without the need for a Starlink terminal.
Modern modems provided by the Direct-to-Cell Starlink satellites essentially function as mobile towers in orbit. It may be possible to utilize this to remove dead zones for cell phone coverage on the ground.
In the same way that network providers collaborate with other network providers across borders to provide their clients with international roaming services, they will soon be able to team up with Starlink to deliver this Direct to Cell service to their consumers.
Features of the ‘Direct-to-cell’ satellites :
Using LTE phones, Direct To Cell technology will function as an orbiting cell phone tower. This indicates that if you have an active satellite signal, service will be accessible from any place. Hardware or other external connections are not needed for the same.
As stated on Starlink’s official website, the Direct to mobile capable satellites feature a sophisticated eNodeB modem on board that functions in space like a mobile phone tower, enabling network integration akin to that of a typical roaming partner.
In the distant areas where Starlink has been launched, connectivity will also be available. Users of Starlink Direct To mobile will be able to access mobile phone service in all of the partner nations, including the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and Switzerland.
Note from Elon Musk and the company :
According to Musk, this will make it possible to use a mobile phone anyplace on Earth. This is a brilliant option for places without cellular coverage, but the tech businessman pointed out that it is not really competitive with current terrestrial cellular networks because it only allows 7 MM per beam and the beams are rather big.
Texting, calling, and browsing are made widely available by Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capabilities, regardless of where you are—on land, in lakes, or in coastal seas. Additionally, Direct to Cell will link Internet of Things devices that share LTE standards, the company claims.
The Company’s comeback :
In 2023, SpaceX had a really busy year. Two test flights this year resulted in the explosion of its starship, which, when completed, will be the most powerful rocket ever created.
While its rival Boeing has yet to finish a crewed flight despite being awarded a contract to do so concurrently with SpaceX, the Elon Musk-led business has already completed many crew and cargo trips to the International Space Station.
However, the corporation dedicated a significant portion of its resources to expanding the Starlink constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites. Currently, more than 5,000 operational satellites provide comparatively low-latency internet access from space. That number keeps rising as the business expands the largest satellite internet network in the entire world with launches like the one that took place lately.
