Did you know Elon Musk’s Starlink Successfully Relays Satellite Text Messages To And From Smartphones On The Ground
It’s the news that Elon Musk’s SpaceX firm has long been waiting for and today it has finally confirmed how its Starlink managed to successfully relay texts to and from smartphone devices on the ground.
This
is proof for all the critics that did once question whether or not it
works and from what we can see right now, it certainly does with a bang!
The
company generated a post on this success through X where they unveiled
how the whole purpose was to operate all cell towers carrying out orbits
in space. And that was a test carried out on January 8, just six days
after the launch arose.
They both sent and received the initial texts from mobile devices that
were unchanged on the ground. This was headed directly toward the latest
satellites orbiting in space via the T-Mobile network, the firm added.
For
now, the organization has yet to further elaborate more on the test
like which speeds were used, what the latency was, and what the messages
actually stated. But the fact that they were sent through a single
Starlink satellite dubbed ‘Direct to Sell’ with so much success is
making big news.
Meanwhile, the question about the remaining
five satellites from Starlink relaying messages successfully is still
questionable as no details were released by the company in this regard.
For now, it’s also refraining from entertaining any requests for more
details on the subject but we’ll update you when that happens.
Whatever the case, the post noted how the early tests and launch were
done with success and that shows how the breakthrough technology really
does work.
But it was not an easy road to success, that’s for
sure. The company shed light on how they faced many obstacles along the
way in terms of text message transmissions through mobile phones to
satellites. And that included how so many modern-day devices entail low
gain antennas which are designed solely to link to any closely located
cell tower and not the real satellite present above.
As a
response to that, the company did reveal how they were rolling out new
satellites for Starlink that entailed state-of-the-art technology that
would rely on phone signals during the earth’s orbit, despite being 340
miles in distance.
SpaceX further detailed on the matter
including how they used great optimization in the product to achieve
desirable results like silicon onboards that limit power usage and keep
costs at a bare minimum.
Meanwhile, the Musk-owned tech firm
added how communications through 4G technology would also be done
through LTE modems. It’s quite different from stationary cell towers as
the satellites are orbiting around the earth at a speed of 17k
miles/hour. Therefore, it just gets so hard to regulate steady signals
for those located on the ground.
To be able to carry out
handoffs successfully will be pertinent since every satellite stays
visible across the sky for a few minutes before it gets out of view due
to its orbiting ability.
The FCC did allow the firm to begin testing its Starlink system in more
than 24 different locations through 840 satellites and we should see
that kind of launch arising as early as the next few months.
But
as far as commercial operations across the US are concerned, that’s yet
to happen as full approval from the FCC has not come. This might be
linked to growing concerns about it interfering with radio.
Image: SpaceX
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