What is Starlink SpaceX? How does the satellite internet constellation work?

SpaceX Starlink's public beta is out and it appears that the satellite internet is delivering blazing-fast download speeds to the beta testers. The private company had sent out invites to beta testers at the time of launch noting that the program will be called 'Better Than Nothing’ Beta and provide download speeds between 50 and 150 Mbps.

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What is Starlink SpaceX?

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation that aims to provide high-speed internet access to users around the world, especially in rural areas and remote regions. SpaceX Starlink is one of Elon Musk's most ambitious projects where the private company plans to deploy a huge constellation of around 12,000 satellites into the low Earth orbit. SpaceX has been regularly launching Starlink satellites into space for its mega constellation project. The company eventually plans to offer internet services at affordable prices; however, it seems a bit expensive at the moment.

The Starlink internet service is currently in beta, where the beta testers were required to pay $99 as a base monthly price along with $499 as an upfront cost to avail the Starlink Kit. The Starlink Kit comes with a user terminal, mounting tripod and Wi-Fi router.

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How does Starlink work?

The Starlink constellation consists of numerous mass-produced small satellites that exist in the low Earth orbit. They function in combination with the ground transceivers. These satellites are placed closer to the Earth which helps bring down latency and these rely on lasers to offer higher speeds.

As noted above, the company had initially promised a download speed of anywhere between 50 to 150 Mbps; however, the company is now exceeding the expectations of users with download speeds of more than 160 Mbps. According to popular speed test provider Ookla, this is 95 per cent more than other internet providers in the United States. However, as of right now, the SpaceX Starlink public beta test is only available for users in the northern US and southern Canada.

The program is likely to be rolled out in a number of other regions by next year. You can stay updated with us for more Starlink news and latest updates.

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