Official SpaceX announcements or reputable space tracking services

SpaceX Advances Starlink with Flight 5, Next-Gen Satellites on Starship for Global Gigabit Connectivity

Oct 14, 2024, 03:05 PM

SpaceX is advancing its Starlink project with the launch of next-generation satellites on its Starship rocket, aiming to deliver gigabit connectivity globally. The recent Flight 5 marks a significant step towards this goal. According to the VP of Starlink Engineering, these new satellites are too large to be launched on the Falcon 9. SpaceX plans to achieve gigabit speeds by utilizing more radio spectrum and positioning satellites closer to Earth, as per a new FCC filing. The company has also requested the FCC to update its 2nd-generation Starlink network to support these enhancements. SpaceX has been working towards 1Gbps download speeds since 2016, and the rollout will involve deploying 100's of satellites at a time.