Page 3 - Spec Tech Vol 1 Issue 10
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SpaceX reveals 'Starshield' satellite
project for national security use
SpaceX is expanding its satellite-internet terminal that Starlink craft use, the page
business. SpaceX already beams adds. That's pretty much all we know about
broadband service to customers around the Starshield; the page doesn't provide many
world via its huge and other details about the new project.
ever-growing Starlink constellation. Over We know much more, of course, about
the weekend, Elon Musk's company Starlink. The megaconstellation consists of
revealed that Starlink now has a partner more than 3,200 active satellites and will
project called Starshield, which is tailored grow considerably larger in the months and
for use by government agencies, years to come.
particularly those in the national security
sector. "Starshield leverages SpaceX's SpaceX already has permission from the
Starlink technology and launch capability to U.S. Federal Communications Commission
support national security efforts," SpaceX's (FCC) to deploy 12,000 first-generation
newly posted Starshield page reads. "While Starlink craft, the type that's now operating
Starlink is designed for consumer and in low Earth orbit.
commercial use, Starshield is designed for The company has applied for approval to
government use, with an initial focus on loft nearly 30,000 Starlink 2.0 satellites on
three areas," the page adds. Those areas top of that. These new spacecraft, which
are Earth observation, communications and SpaceX plans to launch primarily using its
hosted payloads (the ability to put a wide next-generation Starship rocket, will be
variety of instruments on the Starshield much bigger and more powerful than their
satellite bus). Starshield will offer a higher predecessors. For instance, Starlink 2.0
level of security than Starlink, featuring satellites will be capable of beaming
"additional high-assurance cryptographic service directly to cellphones, something
capability to host classified payloads and that SpaceX plans to start doing next year.
process data securely, meeting the most
demanding government requirements," Last week, the FCC granted SpaceX
according to SpaceX's Starshield page. permission to deploy just 7,500 Starlink 2.0
Starshield spacecraft will also be craft, citing concerns about space debris
interoperable with other satellites that are and space traffic. The agency is reserving
equipped with the laser-communications judgment on the rest of the application.
Space Explorer 2022 3
