Elon Musk Says SpaceX's Next-Generation Starlink Satellites Will Be 'So Big That Only Starship Can Launch Them:' Will Offer 10X Increase In Bandwidth And Reduced Latency

Benzinga · 10/15 07:38

SpaceX‘s next generation of Starlink satellites will be so big that it can only be launched by the company’s bigger Starship launch vehicle, company CEO Elon Musk said on Monday.

What Happened: SpaceX currently launches its Starlink satellites to the low-Earth orbit on its Falcon rocket. However, the next generation of Starlink satellites would be bigger and would need to be launched on Starship, Musk said, while adding that it would ensure better performance.

SpaceX requested the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Friday to modify the operational parameters of its next-generation satellite system.

SpaceX requested authority to lower the altitude of its next-generation Starlink satellites, bringing them closer to Earth, and for permission to use authorized frequencies with more flexibility. Granting these modifications, SpaceX said, will deliver fiber-like broadband and ubiquitous mobile connectivity and help close the digital divide for billions of people.

“The next generation Starlink satellites, which are so big that only Starship can launch them, will allow for a 10X increase in bandwidth and, with the reduced altitude, faster latency,” Musk said on Monday.

Why It Matters: Michael Nicolls, VP of Starlink Engineering, had previously hinted at future Starlink launches aboard Starship.

"The next generation Starlink satellite will launch on Starship and deliver gigabit connectivity anywhere in the world,” Nicolls said on Sunday. Starlink is the satellite internet division of SpaceX.

The Starship is the biggest launch vehicle made to date, towering at about 121 meters and capable of carrying up to 150 metric tonnes to space.

In comparison, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy vehicles are only 70 meters tall.

However, Starship is still undergoing testing and development and is yet to carry any payload to space. Its last test flight was conducted on Sunday and the company caught the rocket’s booster back at the launch tower minutes after launch, demonstrating the reusability of its design.

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Photo courtesy: SpaceX