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Tag: Starlink

  • Virgin Media O2 launches O2 Satellite to address mobile ‘not-spots’ – Tech Digest

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    Virgin Media O2 has officially switched on its “O2 Satellite” service, becoming the first UK carrier to provide mobile connectivity directly from space to standard smartphones.

    The landmark launch aims to eliminate persistent signal “not-spots,” effectively extending the network’s reach to 95% of the UK’s landmass, it claims.

    The service is powered by a multi-year partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink constellation. Unlike traditional satellite phones that require bulky external hardware, O2 Satellite uses Starlink’s “Direct to Cell” technology.

    This allows a fleet of over 650 low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites to act like cell towers in space, transmitting signals directly to existing 4G-capable handsets using O2’s own licensed spectrum.

    At launch, the service is tailored for Pay Monthly customers as a £3 per month “Bolt On” addition. For those on O2’s premium “Ultimate Plans,” the company confirmed the feature will soon be bundled at no extra cost.

    Designed for safety and basic communication in remote areas, the initial rollout focuses on text messaging and essential data-driven applications. Supported apps include WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Google Maps, allowing hikers, sailors, and rural travellers to navigate and stay in touch even where terrestrial masts cannot reach.

    The technology activates automatically when a user moves beyond the range of traditional cellular towers, provided they have a compatible device. At launch, the service is exclusive to the latest Samsung Galaxy S25 series, including the Ultra and Edge models, though Virgin Media O2 expects to expand compatibility to other manufacturers and include voice calling capabilities as the Starlink constellation grows.

    Virgin Media O2 CEO Lutz Schüler described the launch as a “huge step forward” for UK connectivity, emphasizing that the service provides peace of mind for anyone moving beyond the “invisible boundary” of traditional signals.


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    Chris Price

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  • What’s the Difference Between SpaceX’s Starlink, Amazon Leo, and Blue Origin’s TeraWave?

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    The satellite internet race is ramping up. In the years since SpaceX launched its first batch of Starlinks back in 2019, numerous competitors have entered the market, including two you’ve almost definitely heard about lately: Amazon Leo and Blue Origin’s newly announced TeraWave.

    Starlink, Amazon Leo, and TeraWave are far from the only players in this rapidly growing industry, but they stand out because of their massive financial backings and the ambitious strategic visions of their respective billionaire owners. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk oversees Starlink, while Jeff Bezos—through Amazon and Blue Origin—is developing Amazon Leo and TeraWave.

    Each of these brands has taken a unique approach to building the next generation of satellite internet technology. Understanding the differences between them is key to grasping how the future of global connectivity may unfold. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

    Vastly different scales of deployment

    The first thing to understand is that these networks came on the scene at different times, and their parent companies have chosen different deployment strategies. As a result, they are in various stages of development.

    Starlink is by far the most mature of the three. SpaceX was first to market with its satellite project, announcing it in 2015. Since the start of deployment in 2019, the company has rapidly built up the Starlink megaconstellation through hundreds of launches aboard its Falcon 9 rocket, with 9,555 Starlinks currently active and providing broadband internet to millions worldwide.

    Amazon unveiled plans to develop a competitor—called Project Kuiper at the time—about one month before SpaceX launched its first batch of operational Starlinks, “but was much slower to really ramp up and start production,” Kevin Bell, senior vice president of the Engineering and Technology Group (ETG) at The Aerospace Corporation, told Gizmodo. “Some of that was satellite driven, some of that was rocket driven,” Bell explained.

    While SpaceX’s approach to Starlink development prioritized rapid iteration and deployment, Amazon took its time finalizing the design of its satellites and conducted more extensive prototype testing. Because Amazon does not have its own rockets to support satellite deployment, it partners with launch providers—including SpaceX—to build its constellation.

    The company launched its first operational batch of satellites aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket in April 2025. The next launch, set for February 12, will bring the constellation (now called Amazon Leo) up to 212 satellites. Because it is still in the early days of scaling, the service has not yet launched commercially.

    Then there’s TeraWave, the newcomer. Blue Origin announced the project on January 21, setting a goal to begin deployment by the first quarter of 2027. The company will presumably use its New Glenn rocket to launch its satellites, but that has not yet been confirmed. According to the announcement, the TeraWave constellation will ultimately scale to 5,408 satellites situated in low-Earth orbit (where Starlink and Amazon Leo reside) and in medium-Earth orbit.

    That’s larger than Amazon Leo’s planned deployment of 3,236 satellites, but if Musk gets his way, Starlink will eclipse both of Bezos’s constellations. The Federal Communications Commission recently approved a SpaceX application to launch up to a million more Starlinks for the purpose of building an orbital data center.

    Serving unique markets

    Broadly speaking, the satellite internet industry serves two types of customers: enterprise and individual users. But according to Bell, these markets can be further divided into five core segments, namely direct to device, direct to consumer, high bandwidth (for business-scale users), backhaul (providing connectivity to underserved areas), and sovereign government.

    “While Starlink is really kind of spread across all of them, Amazon and TeraWave have chosen—at least initially—to position themselves towards the higher end,” Bell said.

    Starlink indeed serves a diverse array of users, from individuals to the American government. Its primary customer base, however, consists of people living in rural and remote areas who lack access to reliable, high-speed internet. Amazon Leo ultimately plans to target that market, but its initial phase of deployment will serve select enterprise, government, and telecommunications customers.

    TeraWave is unique in that it is not at all geared toward individual customers. This network will serve “tens of thousands” of enterprise, data center, and government users, according to Blue Origin.

    “One of the big differences there is that, typically, an enterprise would negotiate a service level agreement—so there is a requirement that the company be able to provide a certain level of speed, a certain level of capacity,” Tom Stroup, president of the Satellite Industry Association, told Gizmodo.

    To meet that demand, Blue Origin will design TeraWave to deliver data speeds of up to 6 terabits per second anywhere on Earth. By comparison, Starlink and Amazon Leo offer speeds ranging from hundreds of megabits to around 1 gigabit per second, which is suitable for individuals and some enterprise customers but not tailored toward high-capacity backhaul or large-scale enterprise operations.

    As these networks grow, the satellite internet industry is undergoing a rapid transformation. Competition between them—and their many other competitors—will continue to drive innovation, bringing faster speeds, higher capacity, and broader coverage to users around the world.

    “Each generation of satellite that is being launched has greater speed and capacity than the prior generation,” Stroup said. “We’re just iterating much more quickly than ever before.”

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    Ellyn Lapointe

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  • As Ukraine accuses Russia of terrorism with deadly strike on train, is Starlink helping Moscow target civilians?

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    Kyiv – A Russian drone hit a Ukrainian passenger train traveling in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region Tuesday, killing at least five people, according to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

    “In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be regarded in the same way – purely as an act of terrorism,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post. 

    Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said in a social media post that, according to preliminary information, the attack involved three Iranian-made Shahed attack drones, which hit the engine and one passenger car, causing a fire.

    “There were 291 passengers on board. People were evacuated as quickly as possible,” he said, echoing Zelenskyy in calling the strike “a direct act of Russian terror against civilians. No military target.”

    Russia’s government routinely denies targeting civilian infrastructure, but there was no specific reaction from the Kremlin or Russian military to the allegations that it had deliberately struck a train carrying civilians.

    In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire after Russian drones hit a passenger train in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. 

    Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP


    Russia using Starlink to deadly effect?

    Strikes on Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure have intensified in recent months, and experts say Russia has adapted its offensive capabilities to evade Ukraine’s air defenses. 

    Last year, the Ukraine Air War Monitor journal noted an 18% decline in Ukraine’s drone interception rate.

    Oleksii Balesta, Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, told CBS News on Wednesday that Russia has been using larger drones in higher quantities, which is increasing the lethality of its strikes.

    But according to a recent report from the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War, another reason for Russia’s deadlier strikes is its use of Starlink satellite systems to more accurately hit targets. 

    This week, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski raised the issue with Elon Musk, whose company SpaceX owns and operates the Starlink satellite network. In a post on Musk’s platform X, Sikorski asked the American businessman to “stop the Russians from using Starlinks to target Ukrainian cities.”

    On X, Musk called Sikorski a “drooling imbecile” and said that Starlink’s terms of service “do not allow for offensive military use, as it is a civilian commercial system.” Musk also highlighted Ukraine’s use of the Starlink system for military communications. 

    Russia Ukraine War

    In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire after Russian drones hit a passenger train in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. 

    Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP


    Two Ukrainian defense analysts have said the train may have been hit by Shaheds – a favorite weapon of Russia amid its ongoing full-scale invasion – equipped with the SpaceX technology. 

    “Russia has started using Starlink on other drones, and now is using it on Shaheds as well,” analyst Olena Kryzhanivska told CBS News on Wednesday. “The attack yesterday was not surprising at all. It was expected.”

    Serhiy Beskrestnov, a Ukrainian military analyst and expert on drone warfare, said in a social media post Wednesday that the moving train was hit by, “Shaheds with online control.”

    “It was not the locomotive, but the center of the train,” Beskrestnov noted in his post, accusing the Russian drone’s pilot of attacking a passenger car, “intentionally and consciously,” and specifically questioning whether Starlink might have been used.

    SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment by CBS News on the claims that its Starlink technology may have been used in the drone strike on the train, and by Russian forces more widely to target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

    Kryzhanivska said trains make easy targets for precision-guided Russian weapons.

    “The territory of Ukraine is not targeted evenly with air defense systems and mobile fire units,” Kryzhanivska said. “There is no protocol in place for what to do when there is a Shahed drone approaching a train. What can the crew do? Should they stop the train? Or continue moving?” 

    At least 11 people were killed and dozens wounded in strikes across Ukraine overnight on Tuesday, which involved 165 Russian-launched drones, including the ones that hit the train in the Kharkiv region, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.

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  • Jeff Bezos announces satellite network to compete with Musk’s Starlink – Tech Digest

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    Jeff Bezos is launching a massive new satellite network to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink. 

    The Amazon founder’s rocket company, Blue Origin, announced on Wednesday that it will deploy 5,408 satellites to create a global communications system called TeraWave.

    This move places Bezos in direct competition with Musk’s Starlink, which currently dominates the satellite internet market with roughly 10,000 satellites already in orbit.

    TeraWave will operate using a “multi-orbit” design. Most of the fleet—5,280 satellites—will sit in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), while 128 larger satellites will occupy a higher Medium Earth Orbit (MEO).

    This unique architecture allows the system to move immense amounts of data at speeds of up to 6 terabits per second, roughly 6,000 times faster than current consumer satellite services.

    While Starlink and Amazon’s own consumer network, Leo, focus on providing internet to the general public, TeraWave is strictly built for high-end users. Blue Origin says the service will target data centres, government agencies and large-scale enterprises that require secure, “symmetrical” upload and download speeds.

    The network is expected to serve as a critical backbone for artificial intelligence processing in space. By placing data centres in orbit, companies can use infinite solar energy and avoid the immense resource strain associated with Earth-based facilities.

    Bezos has predicted that such orbital data hubs will be “commonplace” within the next two decades.

    Blue Origin plans to begin launching TeraWave satellites in late 2027 using its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket. The rocket recently reached a major milestone in November by successfully landing its booster on a floating platform, a feat previously only achieved by SpaceX.

    The announcement creates a complicated dynamic for Bezos, who is now backing two separate satellite ventures. While Amazon Leo serves individual households, TeraWave will offer a specialized “enterprise-grade” alternative.

    Analysts suggest the new system is designed to provide “route diversity,” acting as a space-based backup for terrestrial fibre-optic cables.


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    Chris Price

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  • SpaceX gets FCC approval to launch 7,500 more Starlink satellites | TechCrunch

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    The Federal Communications Commission announced Friday that it has given SpaceX approval to launch another 7,500 of its second generation Starlink satellites, for a total of 15,000 satellites worldwide.

    Beyond simply allowing SpaceX to launch more satellites and expand its high-speed internet coverage, the FCC says its decision also means Starlink satellites can operate across five frequencies and to provide direct-to-cell connectivity outside the United States, along with supplemental coverage in the U.S.

    Reuters reports that SpaceX had requested approval for an additional 15,000 satellites, but the FCC said it would “defer authorization of the remaining 14,988 proposed Gen2 Starlink satellites.”

    SpaceX must launch 50% of the approved Starlink satellites by December 1, 2028, and the remaining 50% by December 2031, the FCC says.

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    Anthony Ha

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  • Starlink is lowering thousands of satellites’ orbits to reduce risk of collisions

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    Starlink will lower the orbits of roughly 4,400 satellites this year as a safety measure, according to engineering VP, Michael Nicolls. In a post on X, Nicolls wrote that the company is “beginning a significant reconfiguration of its satellite constellation,” in which all satellites orbiting at around 550 kilometers (342 miles) will be lowered to around 480 km (298 miles). The move is intended to reduce the risk of collisions, putting the satellites in a region that’s less cluttered and will allow them to deorbit more quickly should an incident occur.

    “Lowering the satellites results in condensing Starlink orbits, and will increase space safety in several ways,” Nicolls wrote, also pointing to the coming solar minimum — a period in the sun’s 11ish-year cycle when activity is lower — as one of the reasons for the move. The next solar minimum is expected to occur in the early 2030s. “As solar minimum approaches, atmospheric density decreases which means the ballistic decay time at any given altitude increases – lowering will mean a >80% reduction in ballistic decay time in solar minimum, or 4+ years reduced to a few months,” Nicolls wrote.

    A screenshot of an X post by Starlink VP of engineering Michael Nicolls announcing that satellites orbiting at around 500 kilometers will be lowered to 480km

    The announcement comes a few weeks after Starlink said one of its satellites had experienced an anomaly that created some debris and sent it tumbling. Just a few days earlier, Nicolls posted about a close call with a batch of satellites he said were launched from China seemingly without any attempt to coordinate with operators of existing satellites in the space. With his latest announcement, Nicolls added that lowering Starlink’s satellites “will further improve the safety of the constellation, particularly with difficult to control risks such as uncoordinated maneuvers and launches by other satellite operators.”

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    Cheyenne MacDonald

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  • China’s Simulated Attack Shows How It Could Jam Musk’s Starlink Over Taiwan

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    A group of researchers in China may have found a way to disrupt Starlink communications, creating a massive airborne barrier to jam signals that jump from one satellite to the next.

    The new study, published in China’s peer-reviewed journal Systems Engineering and Electronics, simulates a detailed attempt to jam a constellation of 10,000 satellites across an area as large as Taiwan, the South China Morning Post reports.

    SpaceX’s Starlink satellites are difficult to jam, and attempts to block their signals from the ground would be fruitless. Instead, the researchers suggest deploying nearly 1,000 jammers in the air using drones, balloons, or aircraft. A team of researchers from Zhejiang University and the Beijing Institute of Technology devised the newly proposed strategy.

    Electronic warfare

    In the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, SpaceX enabled Starlink service to help maintain connectivity in areas where communications infrastructure had been damaged. The Ukrainian military used Starlink connectivity for communications on the front lines, as well as to connect drones to control centers.

    The use of Starlink in Ukraine highlights the crucial role the satellite network can play in warfare. In the event that China invades Taiwan, the researchers behind the new study have come up with a way to bypass Starlink’s constantly shifting patterns.

    Unlike traditional geosynchronous constellations that are parked over the equator, the orbital planes of the Starlink satellites are not fixed. The satellites, placed in low Earth orbit, are constantly moving in and out of view, and a single user terminal hops between multiple satellites rather than connecting to just one. That means that even if the Chinese military succeeds in overpowering the signal from the ground, the connection will jump to another satellite within seconds.

    In order to successfully monitor or interfere with Starlink’s signal, the new study suggests deploying a swarm of jammers in the air to create a massive barrier using drones. The researchers simulated the jamming attempts, testing whether a Starlink satellite could still maintain a usable signal despite the interfering noise.

    The grid of virtual jammers flew at an altitude of 12 miles (20 kilometers) and were spaced out at around 3 to 5 miles (5 to 9 kilometers) apart while emitting noise at various power levels. The researchers also tested out two types of antennas, one with a wide beam that covered more area and another with a narrow, more powerful beam that required extra precision.

    The study proposes an ideal way to interfere with Starlink signals, using a narrow-beam antenna with a 26-decibel-watt jamming power that’s spaced 4 miles (7 kilometers) apart. To cover the entire area of Taiwan, which spans 13,900 square miles (36,000 square kilometers), China would need to deploy at least 935 jammers, each suppressing about 14.8 square miles (38.5 square kilometers).

    The researchers note that they would need to acquire actual measurements of the radiation pattern data of Starlink user terminals for more accurate results.

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    Passant Rabie

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  • Elon Musk Wants to Block Out the Sun

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    Earth’s average temperature is nearing critical thresholds as the international community lags behind its emissions goals. As a result, bold technological strategies to cool the planet have gained attention in recent years, and now, Elon Musk is weighing in.

    Early Monday morning, Musk took to X to share his two cents on how to address the climate crisis. He claimed that using satellites for solar radiation management (SRM)—a theoretical geoengineering technique that would allow humans to control the amount of sunlight reaching Earth—would be an effective solution.

    “A large solar-powered AI satellite constellation would be able to prevent global warming by making tiny adjustments in how much solar energy reached Earth,” Musk wrote.

    When asked how this would ensure precise, equitable adjustments to solar energy across the planet—while also accounting for seasonal variations and potential geopolitical conflicts over control—Musk replied: “Yes. It would only take tiny adjustments to prevent global warming or global cooling for that matter. Earth has been a snowball [many] times in the past.”

    So, it would appear he doesn’t quite have all the answers. That said, it’s certainly notable that the wealthiest man on Earth and the CEO of the world’s largest satellite company, is advocating for space-based SRM. Experts warn, however, that this strategy is both highly unrealistic and dangerous.

    Is SpaceX eyeing a new orbital venture?

    Musk isn’t the only entrepreneur interested in blocking out the Sun. A growing number of companies are exploring different approaches to SRM, from using atmospheric aerosols to mimic the sunlight-blocking effects of volcanic eruptions to launching thousands of mirrors into orbit.

    While some of these companies have raised significant capital and have set ambitious near-term targets for development and testing, none are anywhere close to deploying their technology at scale. If Musk’s SpaceX wades into this burgeoning industry, these startups will suddenly find a very big fish in their very small pond.

    But to be clear, Musk has not shared any plans for SpaceX to develop SRM-capable satellites. And even with the company’s billion-dollar valuation and the enormous Starlink constellation it has already deployed, doing so would be far easier said than done.

    Could Musk actually do it?

    The first hurdle SpaceX would face is a pivot away from producing Starlink communications satellites to developing the artificially intelligent, solar-powered, SRM-capable satellites Musk described. And no, the nearly 9,000 operational Starlinks currently in orbit could not be adapted for this purpose. Alternatively, SpaceX could launch an entirely new satellite division devoted to this geoengineering project while simultaneously managing Starlink.

    While Musk did not share specifics on how these satellites would work, they would likely be equipped with mirrors or sunshades that come together in formation to create a gigantic, manipulatable barrier between Earth and the Sun. When we say gigantic—we really mean it.

    Scientists don’t know exactly how many SRM satellites it would take to make a meaningful difference in Earth’s average temperature, but estimates range so high that many experts consider this solution infeasible. The cost of deployment alone would likely prove insurmountable even for Musk, with estimates in the multi-trillion-dollar range.

    Even if Musk could make this happen, that doesn’t mean he should. Experts have long warned of the potential consequences of space-based SRM, which could trigger major, unintended changes in Earth’s climate, the day-night cycle, biodiversity, geopolitical tensions, and more.

    Avoiding these consequences—and actually mitigating global warming—would require unprecedented technological control and international governance over the largest and most impactful satellite constellation ever deployed.

    Needless to say, it’s not happening anytime soon. Still, Musk’s growing interest in this technology will undoubtedly attract attention to this nascent industry, potentially fueling innovation and debate over how geoengineering can and should go.

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    Ellyn Lapointe

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  • United CEO Scott Kirby Doubles Down on Brand Loyalty Amid Shutdown

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    United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said his company is doubling down on brand loyalty. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    United Airlines, which has increasingly tapped into premium offerings and brand-loyalty programs, expects surging revenue in these areas to deliver a strong finish to 2025—so long as the ongoing government shutdown doesn’t dampen travel demand.

    During United’s third-quarter earnings call today (Oct. 16), CEO Scott Kirby told analysts that the airline’s cancellation rates and on-time performance have remained steady so far. “There hasn’t really been a measurable impact in the first couple of weeks of October. [But] the longer this drags on, obviously the risks will grow on both of those points, so I hope our politicians will figure out how to get in a room, compromise and get something done,” he said.

    The shutdown, now in its third week, is disrupting flights nationwide due to staffing shortages at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The shutdown has placed added strain on air traffic controllers, many of whom are expected to work with reduced or no pay until the government reopens.

    Kirby said most controllers continue to show up for duty, but warned that a prolonged shutdown would eventually take a toll. “Every day that goes by, the risk to the U.S. economy grows. I hope we will avoid an unforced error here,” he said.

    Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian raised similar concerns last week, cautioning that “cracks will soon emerge” if the shutdown isn’t resolved “beyond another 10 days or so.”

    United and Delta pivot to premium offerings

    United and Delta—the nation’s two largest airlines by market capitalization—are better positioned than most to weather potential turbulence. Both carriers have surged ahead of rivals by doubling down on premium seats and cultivating customer loyalty.

    Between July and September, United reported $15.2 billion in revenue, up 2.6 percent year-over-year but slightly below analyst expectations. Net income came in at $949 million, a modest 1 percent decline. A bright spot is the premium cabins, where revenue rose 6 percent, while loyalty program revenue jumped 9 percent from a year ago. The company expects that loyalty-driven momentum will help it post record-high operating revenue in the final quarter of 2025.

    To sustain that growth, United plans to invest more than $1 billion next year in enhancing its customer experience. The upgrades include adding more seatback screens and extra legroom, increasing food spending by 25 percent and equipping its entire fleet with SpaceX’s Starlink wifi by 2027.

    Delta has already benefited from a pivot to luxury. The airline reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue and profit earlier this month and expects its premium cabins to surpass economy-class sales for the first time next year.

    Kirby said United’s success reflects a long-term bet on a fundamental shift in traveler behavior. For decades, he noted, airlines were viewed as interchangeable commodities mainly chosen on price and schedule. But as most carriers now offer comparable routes and fares, loyalty and brand differentiation have become the new battleground.

    “What we’ve proven, and continue to prove in the last few years, is that it is possible to transform into a brand-loyal airline,” he said.

    United CEO Scott Kirby Doubles Down on Brand Loyalty Amid Shutdown

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    Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly

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  • The Sky Isn’t Falling, but Starlink Satellites Are

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    The western part of North America has been treated to an unofficial light show over the last week or so. People in California and Canada have spotted what look like meteorites falling from the sky, but it’s not a space rock that is burning up in the atmosphere—it’s just a sign someone is going to have a slightly slower internet connection. The fiery trails spotted in the sky belong to falling Starlink satellites, and a report from EarthSky suggests we could be seeing them a lot more frequently in the near future.

    Currently, about one to two Starlink satellites are falling back to Earth every day from their place in the thermosphere. That’s according to retired Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, the author of Jonathan’s Space Report, which keeps track of what is going up into orbit and what is coming down. McDowell maintains a graph that tracks the reentries of Starlink satellites over time, and the frequency of the satellites falling back to Earth is trending up.

    In fact, McDowell told EarthSky that he expects the number of satellites burning up in the night’s sky to continue to climb, estimating that there will soon be as many as five per day. That is attributed in no small part to the growing number of satellites operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

    And it’s not just Starlink up there—though it’s certainly one of the most prolific satellite purveyors, with more than 8,500 currently in orbit, per McDowell’s detailed records. The astrophysicist told EarthSky that when you add in Amazon Kuiper and other satellite clusters from the US, there will soon be more than 30,000 LEO satellites in operation. That figure nearly doubles once you add in Chinese systems, which McDowell estimates will hit 20,000 satellites soon.

    Those LEO satellites typically have a five-year replacement cycle. That means once we hit McDowell’s estimates for these large clusters, the expectation is that about five per day will “retire” from operation and fall from the sky as their lifespan comes to an end. There are conditions that may accelerate that, though. A recent study found that Starlink satellites have been reentering the atmosphere sooner than expected during periods of heightened solar activity. McDowell also warned of the potential for more satellites in the sky to lead to Kessler syndrome, which happens when the density of LEO objects gets so high that collisions become more common, and those collisions produce debris that is likely to cause even more collisions.

    Most of those satellites will fall back to earth harmlessly, but it isn’t guaranteed that they all will—especially when their reentry is less controlled. The Federal Aviation Administration released a report warning that by 2035, it expects that every two years, a person will be injured or killed by falling debris. So keep your eyes on the sky, and maybe invest in a helmet.

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    AJ Dellinger

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  • Everyone Thinks Elon Musk is Going to Build a SpaceX Mobile Network

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    SpaceX’s has been partnering with mobile carriers like T-Mobile to offer its satellite internet service Starlink to extend the reach of cell networks. But, according to a report from the Washington Post, the company has ambitions to be more than just a partner. Following a major purchase of wireless spectrum earlier this week, it appears everyone is expecting Elon Musk’s company to get into the wireless network business for itself.

    On Monday, it was reported that SpaceX was finalizing a deal with satellite communications company EchoStar, the parent company of Dish Network, to buy up $17 billion worth of wireless spectrum. All signs suggest that SpaceX is after that spectrum to help build out Starlink’s 5G network, with the rumored goal to move satellite connectivity for phones beyond just emergency services and access in remote locations to a full-blown mobile network.

    Musk hasn’t exactly backed away from the rumors. In an appearance on the All-In Podcast, he claimed the newly acquired spectrum would allow the company to deliver “high-bandwidth connectivity” directly from satellites to connected devices, albeit with a two-year lead time to get everything set up. “The net effect is you should be able to watch videos anywhere on your phone,” he said. That’s a big jump from Starlink’s current network offerings, which is currently only used for sending and receiving texts. The company claims it’ll offer voice calls soon. And that two-year timeline? Take it with a grain of salt, given Musk’s longstanding history of overpromising, but it does at least give some clarity as to his company’s end goal.

    As for starting up a network to compete with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, Musk didn’t rule it out when talking to the All-In guys, who are always more than happy to drink the Kool-Aid unprompted. Musk said that purchasing a mobile network provider like Verizon in the future is “not out of the question.” According to The Washington Post’s reporting, Starlink likely doesn’t have the spectrum to compete in urban environments where volume is massive and competitors have the infrastructure advantage when it comes to handling that traffic. So getting into those spaces may require an acquisition rather than building its own network.

    If Musk and SpaceX were to go that route, it’s unlikely they would face regulatory hurdles under the current administration. As WaPo pointed out, Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission appointed by Donald Trump, called SpaceX’s spectrum purchase a “potential game changer” for mobile networks. You’re probably not going to see an in-depth review of potential antitrust concerns when the top cop on the beat has pom-poms in his hands.

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    AJ Dellinger

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  • Musk’s SpaceX spends $17 billion to acquire spectrum licenses from EchoStar

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    Elon Musk’s SpaceX has reached a deal worth about $17 billion with EchoStar for spectrum licenses that it will use to beef up its Starlink satellite network.The deal for EchoStar’s AWS-4 and H-block spectrum licenses includes up to $8.5 billion in cash and up to $8.5 billion in SpaceX stock. SpaceX will make approximately $2 billion in cash interest payments on EchoStar debt through November 2027.SpaceX and EchoStar will enter into a long-term commercial agreement which will allow EchoStar’s Boost Mobile subscribers to access SpaceX’s next generation Starlink Direct to Cell service.Shares of EchoStar surged more than 23% before the market opened Monday.Last month AT&T said that it will spend $23 billion to acquire wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar, a significant expansion of its low- and mid-band coverage networks.EchoStar said that it anticipates that the AT&T deal and the SpaceX transaction will resolve recent inquiries from the Federal Communications Commission about the rollout of 5G technology in the U.S.EchoStar said Monday that it will use the proceeds from the sale partly to pay down debt. Current operations of Dish TV, Sling and Hughes will not be impacted, the company said.

    Elon Musk’s SpaceX has reached a deal worth about $17 billion with EchoStar for spectrum licenses that it will use to beef up its Starlink satellite network.

    The deal for EchoStar’s AWS-4 and H-block spectrum licenses includes up to $8.5 billion in cash and up to $8.5 billion in SpaceX stock. SpaceX will make approximately $2 billion in cash interest payments on EchoStar debt through November 2027.

    SpaceX and EchoStar will enter into a long-term commercial agreement which will allow EchoStar’s Boost Mobile subscribers to access SpaceX’s next generation Starlink Direct to Cell service.

    Shares of EchoStar surged more than 23% before the market opened Monday.

    Last month AT&T said that it will spend $23 billion to acquire wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar, a significant expansion of its low- and mid-band coverage networks.

    EchoStar said that it anticipates that the AT&T deal and the SpaceX transaction will resolve recent inquiries from the Federal Communications Commission about the rollout of 5G technology in the U.S.

    EchoStar said Monday that it will use the proceeds from the sale partly to pay down debt. Current operations of Dish TV, Sling and Hughes will not be impacted, the company said.

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  • When is liftoff? SpaceX rocket launch Friday morning from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

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    Early risers have another chance to catch a Falcon 9 rocket take off into the dawn sky.

    Should all go as planned, the SpaceX launch is set for no earlier than 7:29 a.m. Friday, Sept. 5 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A. SpaceX states it has until 10:56 a.m. to make the liftoff.

    The mission, known as Starlink 10-57, is the next batch of 28 SpaceX Starlink internet satellites. The rocket will travel on a northeast trajectory upon liftoff.

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    The launch will not produce a Space Coast sonic boom, as just over eight minutes after launch the rocket's booster will land on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

    When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA, rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral

    Check back 90 minutes prior to liftoff for live FLORIDA TODAY updates on this page.

    Countdown Timer

    Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.

    This article originally appeared on Florida Today: What to know: SpaceX rocket launch from Florida set for Friday morning

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  • SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink mission finally launches after failed attempts

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    SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched on Thursday, carrying another batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit.

    The SpaceX Starlink 6-77 mission, which deployed 23 satellites, lifted off at 3:19 p.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This marked the third flight for the Falcon 9 booster, having previously supported one Starlink mission and a NASA Crew-9 launch to the International Space Station.

    The launch came after a series of delays that had pushed the mission back from its initial target of November 3. On Sunday, the launch was scrubbed just two minutes before liftoff due to a helium leak on the rocket’s first stage.

    Another attempt on Wednesday was also called off, reportedly due to unfavorable weather conditions.

    “Hold, hold, hold. Standing down for helium, stage one,” a SpaceX team member could be heard saying during the live broadcast of the planned Sunday launch on X (formerly Twitter).

    Thursday’s liftoff was pushed back by six minutes, but SpaceX did not provide an official reason for the delay. Approximately eight minutes after launch, the Falcon 9 booster landed safely on the “Just Read the Instructions” drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean, just west of the Bahamas.

    SpaceX confirmed the successful deployment of the Starlink satellites in a post on X, saying: “Deployment of 23 @Starlink satellites confirmed.”

    A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with Expedition 72 astronauts lifts off from launch complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Sept. 28, 2024. The same booster was used on Thursday to…


    GREGG NEWTON/Getty

    What is Starlink?

    Starlink is SpaceX’s ambitious project to build a global satellite internet network. The constellation currently has over 7,170 satellites in orbit, with plans to eventually launch in excess of 40,000.

    These satellites orbit much closer to Earth, at around 340 miles, compared to traditional satellite internet providers.

    Where is SpaceX Located?

    While SpaceX’s headquarters are located in California, the company has a testing facility in Texas and launch complexes in Florida, California, and Texas.

    The Starlink 6-77 mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, marking the 96th booster landing for the “Just Read the Instructions” drone ship and the 362nd booster landing to date for SpaceX.

    In addition to its launch complex at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, SpaceX has several other sites around the country where it conducts its rocket launches.

    The company’s headquarters and primary manufacturing facility are located in Hawthorne, California, but it also has a testing facility in McGregor, Texas.

    SpaceX’s other active launch sites include Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, and its own privately-owned Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.

    The Starbase location is where SpaceX develops, manufactures, tests, and launches its Starship spacecraft, which are the next-generation launch vehicles the company is building to enable crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.

    Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about SpaceX? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.

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  • United Signs Starlink Deal to Provide Free Connectivity in the Sky

    United Signs Starlink Deal to Provide Free Connectivity in the Sky

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    United Signs Starlink Deal

    United Signs Starlink Deal

    United Airlines today revealed an agreement with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s fast, reliable Wi-Fi service to the airline’s mainline and regional aircraft fleet, for free.

    United customers will soon enjoy the same high-speed, low-latency internet service in the air that they enjoy on the ground. The new, gate-to-gate connectivity will unlock access to live TV and streaming services, social media, shopping, gaming and more, on seatback screens and personal devices simultaneously.

    United expects to have Starlink on all United aircraft – more than 1,000 planes – over the next several years. Testing begins in early 2025 with the first passenger flights expected later that year. Starlink service on United aircraft will be free.

    Leveraging advanced satellites, Starlink is engineered by SpaceX and delivers internet access around the world, including over oceans, polar regions and other remote locations previously unreachable by traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals. United is the largest airline across both the Atlantic and Pacific and will be the first carrier in the world to commit to offering Starlink service at this scale.

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    DDG

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  • Starlink tells Brazil regulator it will not comply with X suspension

    Starlink tells Brazil regulator it will not comply with X suspension

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    By Luciana Novaes Magalhaes

    (Reuters) – Elon Musk-controlled satellite internet provider Starlink has told Brazil’s telecom regulator Anatel it will not comply with a court order to block social media platform X in the country until its local accounts are unfrozen.

    Anatel confirmed the information to Reuters on Monday after its head Carlos Baigorri told Globo TV it had received a note from Starlink, which has more than 200,000 customers in Brazil, and passed it onto Brazil’s top court.

    Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes last week ordered all telecom providers in the country to shut down X, which is also owned by billionaire Musk, for lacking a legal representative in Brazil.

    The move also led to the freezing of Starlink’s bank accounts in Brazil. Starlink is a unit of Musk-led rocket company SpaceX. The billionaire responded to the account block by calling Moraes a “dictator.”

    The decision to freeze Starlink’s accounts stems from a separate dispute over unpaid fines X was ordered to pay due to its failure to turn over some documents.

    The Supreme Court did not respond to a request for comment.

    On Monday, a five-member panel of the court is set to decide whether to uphold Moraes’ ruling.

    Law experts consulted by Reuters have said they believe the panel will likely confirm Moraes’ ruling.

    (Reporting by Luciana Magalhaes; Editing by Mark Porter)

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  • SpaceX starts selling the Starlink Mini for $599 in select locations

    SpaceX starts selling the Starlink Mini for $599 in select locations

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    SpaceX has started offering some users a new Starlink kit that’s small enough to fit in a backpack, so users can take it wherever they want to and get access to the company’s satellite internet service. The Starlink Mini will cost users $599 up front, according to the emails SpaceX has sent out. That’s $100 more than the standard dish kit, and users will need to have an existing standard service plan because they can only tack on the Mini Roam service for an additional fee of $30 a month. As TechCrunch notes, a Starlink residential customer will have to pay $150 every month in all if they also get the Mini.

    The smaller dish may not cost that much forever, though. SpaceX said in its message that it’s working to make Starlink more affordable as a whole, and that it’s only offering a limited number of Mini kits “in regions with high usage” for now. A few days ago, company chief Elon Musk talked about the Mini on X (formerly known as Twitter) and called it a “great low-cost option.” He also said that it will cost “about half the price of the standard dish to buy and monthly subscription.”

    In SpaceX’s message, it said the Starlink Mini dish comes with a built-in Wi-Fi router, so it’s not only smaller than the standard version, it also needs fewer components to access the internet. It also consumes less power, has DC power input and is capable of download speeds that go over 100 Mbps. In addition to the dish itself, the kit will ship with a kickstand, a pipe adapter, a power supply and a cord with a USB-C connector on one end and a barrel jack on the other.

    As the company mentioned in its message, it’s only rolling out to select areas with high usage at the moment. But Michael Nicolls, VP of Starlink Engineering, said on X that the company is ramping up production of the Mini and that it will be available in international markets soon.

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    Mariella Moon

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  • Russia can reportedly jam Ukraine’s access to Starlink at will

    Russia can reportedly jam Ukraine’s access to Starlink at will

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    Russia has reportedly found new, more effective ways to knock out Ukraine’s Starlink service. The New York Times said on Friday that the increased interference has disrupted communications at critical moments and is posing “a major threat to Ukraine,” putting the country further on its heels more than two years into the war. How Russia is jamming Elon Musk’s satellite internet terminals is unclear.

    The New York Times said Russia’s ability to jam communications has thrown off Ukraine’s ability to communicate, gather intelligence and conduct drone strikes. Ukrainian soldiers told the paper that jammed Starlink service stunts their ability to communicate quickly, leaving them scrambling to send text messages (often extremely slowly) to share intel about incoming or ongoing Russian maneuvers or attacks.

    The jamming was reportedly repeated across Ukraine’s northern front line, often coinciding with Russian advances. The new outages are the first time Russia has jammed Starlink reception that widely and frequently. If it continues, it could “mark a tactical shift in the conflict,” highlighting Ukraine’s dependence on SpaceX’s internet technology. Without competing choices of similar quality, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s democratic nation is left without many options that could work at the scale Ukraine needs.

    Russia has tried to disrupt Ukraine’s comms since the war began, but Starlink service has reportedly held up well in the face of them. Something has changed. Ukraine’s digital minister, Mykhailo Federov, told The New York Times this week that Russia’s recent jamming appeared to use “new and more advanced technology.”

    Federov told The NYT that Vladimir Putin’s army is now “testing different mechanisms to disrupt the quality of Starlink connections because it’s so important for us.” The digital minister didn’t specify the exact weapons Russia has been using, but a Russian official in charge of the country’s electronic warfare told state media last month that its military put Starlink on a “list of targets” and that it had developed ways to disrupt the service.

    Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sitting on steps with a partial smile on his face.

    Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Armed Forces of Ukraine)

    The disruptions highlight the power that one mercurial billionaire can have over the pivotal Eastern European war. Ukrainian officials have reportedly “appealed directly to Mr. Musk to turn on Starlink access during military operations” ahead of crucial drone strikes, and he hasn’t always obliged.

    The Wall Street Journal reported in February that concern has grown that Musk could harbor at least some degree of Russian sympathies. He has posted comments on X that could be viewed as taking a pro-Russian stance, and disinformation experts worry that the way he runs the social platform could be friendly to Russian interference in the pivotal 2024 elections, including those in the US.

    Musk spoke out earlier this year against the US sending more aid to Ukraine. Putin’s army also reportedly began using its own Starlink service, although Musk says he wasn’t aware of the terminals being sold to the Slavic nation. Ukrainian officials raised concerns earlier this year that Russia was buying Starlink tech from third-party vendors.

    However, the Pentagon said earlier this month that the US has been “heavily involved in working with the government of Ukraine and SpaceX to counter Russian illicit use of Starlink terminals,” and a departing space official described SpaceX as “a very reliable partner” in those operations.

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    Will Shanklin

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  • Carnival Cruise Line Installs Starlink Internet on Every Ship | Entrepreneur

    Carnival Cruise Line Installs Starlink Internet on Every Ship | Entrepreneur

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    It’s another massive milestone for SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

    On Tuesday, Carnival Cruises announced that 100% of its ships have officially installed high-speed internet from Musk’s Starlink.

    The installation took place on 90-plus ships in Carnival’s global fleet and allows for more reliable Wi-Fi when onboard (especially during remote parts of the route) for passengers and helps the ship’s staff with improving “operational and communications capabilities,” per a release from Carnival.

    Related: New Jersey Man Accused of Trafficking 675 Starlink Terminals

    “Starlink has been a game-changer for the onboard connectivity experience our cruise lines deliver to their guests, and we’ve already seen a surge in guest satisfaction and positive feedback from the super-fast and reliable Wi-Fi service we provide onboard,” said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation in a release. “We see this technology as a win-win-win – it provides our guests with more flexibility to stay as connected as they’d like on vacation, it allows our crew to stay in touch with friends and loved ones, and it enhances our onboard operational systems.”

    The installment of Starlink on Carnival ships began in December 2022 and has now expanded to all of Carnival’s smaller companies, including Princess Cruises and Holland America Line.

    Musk reposted the news with one word to share his sentiments: “Cool.”

    Royal Caribbean started installing Starlink on its ships in 2022 and as of February 2024, said that it was “currently in the process of upgrading more vessels” from VOOM internet to Starlink.

    Carnival is coming off a strong Q1 2024, setting the record for first-quarter revenue at $5.4 billion, while bookings hit a record high — despite higher prices.

    “This has been a fantastic start to the year. We delivered another strong quarter that outperformed guidance on every measure, while concluding a monumental wave season that achieved all-time high booking volumes at considerably higher prices,” Weinstein said at the time. “These results are a continuation of the strong demand we have been generating across our brands and all core deployments, leading to an upward revision of full year expectations by more than a point of incremental yield improvement and setting us up nicely to deliver a nearly double-digit improvement in net yields.”

    Carnival was up nearly 41% year over year as of Tuesday afternoon.

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    Emily Rella

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  • SpaceX launches Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites Sunday

    SpaceX launches Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites Sunday

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    SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying nearly two dozen Starlink satellites to orbit from the Space Coast Sunday night.According to the commercial spaceflight company, the mission lifted off at its scheduled time at 8:53 p.m. Sunday night from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.This Starlink mission sent 23 Starlink internet satellites to low-Earth orbit. The satellites will join a growing constellation of small satellites that provide high-speed internet across the globe.The Falcon 9 first stage rocket booster supporting the mission has previously flown 14 times. Other missions the rocket booster supported include CRS-27, Bandwagon-1 and ispace’s HAKUTO-R MISSION 1.SpaceX landed the Falcon 9 first stage booster on a ship in the Atlantic several minutes after launch.

    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, Fla. —

    SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying nearly two dozen Starlink satellites to orbit from the Space Coast Sunday night.

    According to the commercial spaceflight company, the mission lifted off at its scheduled time at 8:53 p.m. Sunday night from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

    This Starlink mission sent 23 Starlink internet satellites to low-Earth orbit. The satellites will join a growing constellation of small satellites that provide high-speed internet across the globe.

    The Falcon 9 first stage rocket booster supporting the mission has previously flown 14 times. Other missions the rocket booster supported include CRS-27, Bandwagon-1 and ispace’s HAKUTO-R MISSION 1.

    SpaceX landed the Falcon 9 first stage booster on a ship in the Atlantic several minutes after launch.

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