Earlier this week, SpaceX filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeking regulatory clearance to help boost Starlink speeds.
In its FCC letter, SpaceX requested for regulatory clearance to orbit some of its Starlink satellites closer to Earth. The Elon Musk-led company seeks to operate some of the second-generation Starlink satellites between 340-360 km closer to Earth.
In 2022, the FCC cleared SpaceX to operate 7,500 second-get satellites in 525, 530, and 535 km altitudes or within the same region as the company’s first-ten satellites.
According to SpaceX, the FCC’s approval to orbit Starlink satellites closer to Earth would “improve space sustainability and enhance quality of service for consumers, enterprises, and first responders.
“Moreover, operating at these lower altitudes will enable SpaceX to provide higher-quality, lower-latency satellite service for consumers, keeping pace with growing demand for real-time applications to support remote work, distance education, telehealth, and emergency response,” noted SpaceX.
Last month, SpaceX launched 6 Starlink satellites with Direct to Cell capability. Elon Musk shared that the satellites would enable mobile phone connectivity anywhere on Earth. Direct to Cell has grown to include cellular providers in other countries, like Optus in Australia, Rogers in Canada, and KDDI in Japan.
SpaceX Gen2 300 km R by michael.kan
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