SpaceX wins small contract after shedding out on $1bn in FCC funding.
The US Air Drive Particular Operations Command has awarded SpaceX a $1.9 million contract to trial Starlink Web providers in Europe and Africa for one 12 months.
The contract famous that Starlink was the one service that was in a position of assembly its wants, because it lined all the mandatory territory, and had proven itself able to working amid a warzone. “Starlink is the one Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite tv for pc community supplier that’s presently being utilized in a contested atmosphere: Ukraine,” the contract acknowledged.
SpaceX supplied some Starlink dishes to Ukraine’s authorities without spending a dime — however was quietly paid by the US authorities to ship 1000’s extra.
The brand new contract for {hardware} and providers will assist navy airlift items primarily based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It additionally covers satellite tv for pc terminals and Web providers at mounted websites and by cellular customers who want to attach gadgets to the Web, throughout US navy bases.
“Starlink is the one LEO constellation communications firm that presently gives this business satellite tv for pc resolution with providers to Europe and Africa,” the contract notes.
Starlink presently has 2,287 satellites in orbit, however that’s deliberate to develop to 12,000 — and doubtlessly even 42,000. LEO rivals Amazon Kuiper, OneWeb, and Telesat presently can not present providers within the required areas.
It provides that OneWeb was the most effective present different, however famous: “OneWeb can solely present service north of fifty levels north latitude beginning in November 2021. This doesn’t cowl nearly all of the EUCOM space of accountability and doesn’t cowl any of the AFRICOM space of accountability.”
The US navy operates round 750 navy bases throughout 80 sovereign nations, some close to energetic conflicts.
“AFRL has found that in a contested atmosphere, LEO constellations are way more resilient to sign jamming and likewise present the low latency required to assist tactical missions,” the contract states.
