FCC gives Starlink permission to upgrade its satellites

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SpaceX says it will gradually replace its first-generation satellites with larger, more advanced alternatives

This week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has confirmed that it will allow SpaceX to gradually replace its existing first-generation Starlink satellites with second-generation satellites.

SpaceX has roughly 6,281 Starlink satellites in orbit around the Earth, which are used to provide global coverage for communication services. The company currently has permission from the FCC to expand this total to 12,000 Starlink satellites, with its ultimate goal being to increase the scale of the constellation to roughly 42,000 devices.

However, having first been launched in 2019, some of these satellites are nearing the end of their five-year lifespan. As such, SpaceX has been applying to the FCC to be allowed to replace defunct satellites with newer models.

According to SpaceX, these new satellites will be equipped with “advanced beam-forming and digital processing technologies”, which will allow for “narrower beam capabilities to provide more targeted and robust coverage” of broadband services.

This new beamforming tech was a point of contention for satellite operator Dish Network, which said the tech could potentially cause interference with their existing services. However, the FCC dismissed these arguments, noting in its authorisation statement that it ‘disagreed’ that the technology would result “in SpaceX violating Commission and ITU EPFD (equivalent-power flux density) limits”.

SpaceX says it will replace existing satellites only when they reach the end of their commercial lifespan, which is typically around five years. Exactly how fast this means the entire existing constellation will be transitioned is unclear.

It is worth noting here that SpaceX is also in the process of launching satellites cable of direct-to-cell (DTC) connectivity, allowing customers to access their communication services directly via their normal smartphone, without the need for a Starlink terminal. So far, the company has launched over 100 of these DTC satellites, though it is forbidden to use them commercially until it receives approval from the FCC.

Unfortunately for SpaceX, the path to approval could be a difficult one, with both AT&T and Verizon this week writing to the FCC to again raise issues of potential service interference.

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