Tag: Federal Communications Commission
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Amazon fires back at SpaceX in regulatory war of words over satellite constellations
An artist’s conception shows an Atlas V rocket launching Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellites. (United Launch Alliance / Amazon Illustration) Amazon laid out out a laundry list of SpaceX’s regulatory tussles today in a letter sent to the Federal Communications Commission, marking the latest chapter in a bare-knuckles battle over broadband satellite constellations. The letter —…
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SpaceX outlines plans for Starship orbital test flight
Artist’s concept of a Super Heavy booster and Starship vehicle stacked together during launch. Credit: SpaceX SpaceX has revealed the flight plan for the first orbital test launch of the company’s huge stainless steel Starship rocket, a 90-minute, around-the-world mission that will originate from South Texas and culminate with a controlled re-entry and splashdown in…
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Amazon sees ‘positive outcome’ after FCC puts conditions on a shift in SpaceX Starlink satellites
An artist’s conception shows the deployment of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites. (SpaceX Illustration) The Federal Communications Commission has given the go-ahead for SpaceX to modify the planned orbits for future satellites in its Starlink broadband internet constellation — a move that SpaceX says will result in improved, safer operations but has faced resistance from Amazon’s Project…
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Critics take aim at SpaceX’s Starlink, Amazon’s Project Kuiper and other satellite constellations
A rocket’s-eye view shows a stack of SpaceX Starlink satellites just before orbital deployment. (SpaceX Photo) SpaceX, Amazon and OneWeb say their satellite mega-constellations will make broadband internet goodness available to billions of people around the world who are unserved or underserved — but some say those promises have to be weighed against the potential…
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SpaceX seeks FCC’s OK to extend Starlink satellite service to vehicles, ships, planes
SpaceX’s Starlink antenna connects with a network of satellites to provide high-speed internet access. (SpaceX Starlink Photo) SpaceX is asking the Federal Communications Commission to authorize the operation of equipment extending the company’s Starlink satellite broadband internet service to aircraft, ships and moving vehicles. Commercial mobile services would represent a new frontier for Starlink, which…
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SpaceX eyes mobile connectivity market on eve of launching 60 more Starlink satellites
A Falcon 9 rocket stands on pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station ahead of the next launch of Starlink internet satellites. Credit: Steven Young/Spaceflight Now The next 60 Starlink internet satellites are awaiting a ride from Cape Canaveral into space aboard a Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday night as SpaceX seeks regulatory authority to…
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SpaceX’s Elon Musk and Amazon’s Project Kuiper stir up a war of words over satellites
The rivalry between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is back in the news. (Musk Photo: TED via YouTube; Bezos Photo: GeekWire / Kevin Lisota) SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Amazon’s Project Kuiper escalated a different kind of Star Wars today, over the orbital parameters for their rival satellite constellations. Musk complained…
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After a boost from Bill Gates, Kymeta wins FCC’s approval for next-gen antennas
Redmond, Wash.-based Kymeta Corp., the mobile connectivity venture backed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, says it has won the Federal Communications Commission’s blanket authorization for the operation of its next-generation u8 antenna terminal. Kymeta says the authorization marks a major milestone for the u8 terminal, which is currently in beta testing with commercial release scheduled…
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ULA, SpaceX win contracts to launch satellites for SES in 2022
File photo of a previous Atlas 5 launch in the “531” configuration with three solid rocket boosters. Credit: United Launch Alliance SES has selected United Launch Alliance and SpaceX to launch up to five new commercial C-band communications satellites from Cape Canaveral in 2022 aboard Atlas 5 and Falcon 9 rockets, officials announced Wednesday. Two…
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FCC chief seeks conditional approval for Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband satellite network
Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, speaks at CES 2020 in Las Vegas in January. (GeekWire Photo / Kevin Lisota) The Federal Communications Commission’s chairman, Ajit Pai, says he’s proposing approval of Amazon’s plan to put more than 3,200 satellites into low Earth orbit for a broadband internet constellation known as Project Kuiper…