SpaceX receives permission to deploy 7,500 Starlink satellites

SpaceX has received permission to begin building the next generation of the Starlink Internet Mega Constellation.
On December 1, the US Federal Communications Commission approved the deployment of 7,500 Starlink 2.0 satellites in low earth orbit.
“Our actions will allow SpaceX to begin deploying Gen2 Starlink, which will allow people, including those who live and work in areas previously unserved or underserved by ground systems, to It will bring the next generation of satellite broadband to Americans across the country, reported .com.
“Our actions will also enable global satellite broadband services and help bridge the digital divide on a global scale.”
However, the ruling is only a partial victory for SpaceX. The company had applied for permission to deploy his 29,988 Starlink 2.0 satellites on Earth.
The FCC is deferring a decision on the remaining spacecraft envisioned. It gave only limited approval “to address concerns about orbital debris and space safety,” agency officials wrote in Thursday’s decision document.
These and other issues were raised by “stakeholders” regarding the Starlink 2.0 application submitted by SpaceX in 2020.
“We also report on the mitigation measures taken by SpaceX to avoid collisions in space, coordinate and work with NASA to ensure continued availability of launch windows and other issues, and satellite failures. It has also adopted a requirement to suspend the deployment of new satellites if the deployment of new satellites exceeds certain thresholds.” The FCC document states:
That’s not the only concern people have raised about Starlink. For example, astronomers are concerned about the impact megaconstellations will have on their work, and some Dark Sky proponents believe that it is not fundamentally changing the way we look at celestial bodies. I’m worried that
SpaceX has already received FCC clearance to deploy 12,000 first-generation Starlink satellites, each weighing about 660 pounds (300 kilograms).
The company lofted a good chunk of that number. According to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell, more than 3,200 Starlink spacecraft currently transmit Internet services to users around the world.
The Starlink 2.0 satellite is much larger and more capable than its predecessor, says SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk.
The new spacecraft will tilt the scale at about 1.25 tons (1,130 kg) and will be able to transmit service directly to mobile phones. In fact, a few months ago SpaceX announced plans to do so from 2023 through a partnership with T-Mobile.
SpaceX plans to loft most of its new Starlink satellites with Starship, a massive new Mars and Moon rocket. Starship is still in development, but could make its first orbital test flight in the next few weeks.
All Starlink spacecraft to date have been launched on SpaceX’s flagship Falcon 9 rocket.