Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services

posted by chromas on Saturday March 31 2018, @04:44AM   Printer-friendly
from the ping6-from-outer-space dept.

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

The Federal Communications Commission approved an application by Space Exploration Holdings, doing business as SpaceX, to provide broadband services using satellite technology in the United States and around the world. With this action, the Commission takes another step to increase high-speed broadband availability and competition in the United States.

This is the first approval of a U.S.-licensed satellite constellation to provide broadband services using a new generation of low-Earth orbit satellite technologies. SpaceX proposed a satellite system comprised of 4,425 satellites and was granted authority to use frequencies in the Ka (20/30 GHz) and Ku (11/14 GHz) bands to provide global Internet connectivity.

From Techcrunch:

The company has already launched test versions of the satellites, but the full constellation will need to go out more than two at a time. SpaceX eventually plans to launch 12,000 of the things, but this authorization is for the high-altitude group of 4,425; a separate authorization is necessary for the remaining number, since they'll be operating at a different altitude and radio frequency.

-- submitted from IRC

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 27 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 2, Interesting) by khallow on Saturday March 31 2018, @06:27AM (2 children)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Saturday March 31 2018, @06:27AM (#660745) Journal
    You think there might be a bit of "vertical" integration here?
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Interesting=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Interesting' Modifier   0  
    Total Score:   2  

  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by takyon on Saturday March 31 2018, @06:42AM (1 child)

    by takyon (881) <{takyon} {at} {soylentnews.org}> on Saturday March 31 2018, @06:42AM (#660751) Journal

    I've heard that the BFR could be used to capture space debris. In fact, you could bring it back down and into a museum.

    You could imagine NASA paying for a relatively cheap recapture of large pieces of debris as well as old satellites. You could get a lot of them inside the BFR fairing, and they would survive to be put in the National Air and Space Museum. SpaceX gets the added benefit of reducing some threats to its satellites and opening up some new orbits... and it would be the entity with by far the most sats in orbit under its Starlink plans.

    --
    [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]