SpaceX’s Starlink satellites have rapidly changed what was once believed possible regarding satellite internet connectivity. The vast Starlink constellation has already connected people worldwide to the knowledge that the internet offers. SpaceX is now preparing to expand Starlink’s reach by beta testing Direct-to-Cell (DTC) Starlink satellites, which will connect mobile phones to cellular services from almost anywhere on Earth.
Starlink is SpaceX’s nearly 7,000-satellite low-Earth orbit (LEO) internet constellation. These satellites connect more than 4.6 million people from over 118 nations on all continents to high-speed internet. SpaceX launches batches of 20+ Starlink satellites weekly, each containing a number of Direct-to-Cell satellites.
The first operational Starlink satellites were launched on a Falcon 9 on Nov. 11, 2019. This mission placed 60 satellites into a 550-kilometer altitude orbit around the Earth. Launching the satellites to such an orbit allows data speeds more than 65 times higher than other internet satellites typically positioned in geostationary orbit.
A view of a stack of Starlink satellites, including a Starlink DTC satellite at the top. The deployable antenna and its hinge can clearly be seen in this image. (Credit: SpaceX)
In recent years, SpaceX has been working to expand the Starlink product beyond typical households. It is now available in a compact and mini size for people who plan to use Starlink on the go. SpaceX also offers higher data rates for businesses on land, at sea, and in the air.
Starlink is used not only on Earth but also on SpaceX’s Starship to improve connectivity to the vehicle while in space. This has resulted in stunning live views of Starship flights and reentry. Livestreaming the reentry of a vehicle through Earth’s atmosphere was once impossible due to plasma build-up around the vehicle from high temperatures. However, Starlink’s constant data transmission through space to Earth at an expedited rate allows SpaceX to receive live images from cameras on their spacecraft and subsequently stream them to websites.
Starship using Starlink to gather camera views of reentry during the vehicle’s sixth flight test. (Credit: SpaceX)
On Aug. 25, 2022, SpaceX and multiple partner cell phone carriers worldwide announced a plan to create satellites that connect directly to the carriers’ phones. This would allow messages, phone calls, and data to be transmitted anywhere the sky can be seen.
Such a technology would enable a person lost in the wilderness to call for help, no matter how far away they are from civilization or cell service towers. Even before calling for help, a lost person could use data from Direct-to-Cell (DTC) connectivity to look up a route on any map service and return to safety.
Starlink satellites with DTC capabilities will each have an eNodeB modem, allowing them to act as cell phone towers in space. These cell tower-based satellites will instantly transfer data to Starlink’s ground network and forward it to the partner carriers’ network, enabling messages to be sent and live phone calls to be made.
The DTC-equipped satellites will continue working as average Starlink satellites, expanding communication for all Starlink customers with every launch that goes up. Having constellations of Starlink satellites equipped with DTC communication will nearly eliminate dead spots around the globe. Furthermore, the constellation and its DTC capabilities will work with existing phones and not require new hardware to enable DTC communication.
Starlink DTC diagram showing how data will be transmitted between a cell phone and Starlink. (Credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX officially requested special temporary authority to conduct experimental operations on the DTC-equipped satellites starting Jan. 27, 2025. This will allow beta testing to formally begin for users with average cell phones on SpaceX’s partner cellular service carriers.
This beta release will allow SpaceX and partner carriers to learn what a full-scale Starlink DTC constellation needs to function without issues. It is noted that the beta release will be a global launch with specific cellular partners worldwide. This beta will enable more development of DTC technology than ever before and could help create supplemental coverage from space for areas where people may find themselves in emergency situations.
SpaceX will have until July 26, 2025, to test DTC services for its Starlink satellites in the launch, early orbit, orbit-raising, and operational phases of their missions. If these tests succeed and provide the expected data rate and coverage reliability, SpaceX can expand the DTC cell service beyond a beta release to an operational system.
An image of the NGC 5353/4 galaxy group taken by a telescope at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona. The streaks are Starlink satellites transiting the telescope’s field of view. (Credit: Victoria Girgis/Lowell Observatory)
SpaceX has proven that a LEO satellite constellation is a viable way to make money in the space industry. Other companies, most notably Amazon’s Project Kuiper, are preparing to launch their first batches of internet satellites into orbit in early 2025. If everything goes according to plan, this will only increase competition and provide higher internet speeds for everyone on Earth.
For SpaceX, much of the profit received from Starlink will be funneled back into the development of Starship. This increased profit margin will allow work to be completed faster without worrying about losing money in risky developmental processes and programs.
Starlink has already shown that creating orbital cell services worldwide could change how people communicate. Such services could save countless lives and become an expectation for every carrier, especially in emergencies. Starlink could be the unexpected technology that enables humans to become a multi-planetary species.
(Lead Image: An envisioning of a batch of Starlink satellites awaiting deployment after launching to orbit. Credit: SpaceX)
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