SpaceX's plan to deploy 2,824 Starlink satellites at lower Earth orbit gets FCC approval

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on April 27 approved SpaceX’s plan to deploy 2,824 Starlink satellites at a lower Earth orbit than planned. According to the order, Starlink satellites can now fly at an altitude of 540 to 570 kilometres instead of 1,000 kilometres. The change in altitude would improve space safety, reduce power flux density emissions to improve the interference environment and lower elevation angels to improve customer experience. 

FCC said, “We conclude that grant of the SpaceX Third Modification Application will serve the public interest. Our action will allow SpaceX to implement safety-focused changes to the deployment of its satellite constellation to deliver broadband service throughout the United States, including to those who live in areas underserved or unserved by terrestrial systems”.

The FCC’s approval comes at a key moment for SpaceX, as the company has nearly 1,400 satellites in orbit and likely would have had to halt its rapid launch campaign without the agency’s authorization. The approval will now bring the number of Starlink satellite at the lower orbit to a total of 4,408. Elon Musk, the SpaceX CEO, also tweeted responding to FCC’s decision and said that the agency is “fair and sensible”.  

FCC praised for placing 'clear conditions'

It is worth mentioning that SpaceX filed the modification request a year ago. The company requested that, after its first 1,584 satellites are in orbit, it changes the next 2,814 satellites to an altitude of under 570 km from its previous plan of an altitude above 1,100 km. While the FCC granted the approval, it, however, also noted a number of conditions to ensure the plan’s safety. 

According to the order, the FCC said that SpaceX agreed to accept that their lower-altitude satellites may encounter interference from satellites deployed under Amazon's Kuiper Systems satellite project. Back in July 2020, Amazon had said that it would invest more than $10 billion to build a network of 3,236 low-earth orbit satellites. Following the approval, Amazon praised the FCC for placing “clear conditions” on SpaceX, including requirements that it remains below 580 km and accept additional interference resulting from its redesign. “These conditions address our primary concerns regarding space safety and interference,” Amazon spokesperson told SpaceNews. 

(Image: AP)