SpaceX has secured approval from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate 2,814 Starlink satellites in lower orbits than originally planned.
Last year, SpaceX filed an application with the FCC, which requested that after its first 1,584 satellites are put in orbit, the firm would be allowed to change the next 2,814 satellites to an altitude of under 570km from the earlier planned altitude exceeding 1,100km.
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The commission approved the modification, stating that Starlink satellites in lower orbits ‘will not create significant interference problems’.
In its order, the 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.”
However, the order requires SpaceX to coordinate with other operators so that signals from Starlink satellites do not interfere with others.
The firm will also be required to provide semi-annual reports to the FCC on Starlink failures.
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By GlobalDataThe company aims to launch thousands of satellites to provide global broadband internet to rural parts of the world, governments and other consumers.
Besides SpaceX, Amazon and communication company OneWeb are developing their own satellite internet networks.
Last year, Amazon’s Kuiper network secured FCC approval for 3,236 satellites, half of which are slated to be in space by 2026.
The UK-headquartered OneWeb has already launched 182 of its planned 648 satellites.
Earlier this month, SpaceX successfully launched 60 more Starlink internet satellites into a low-Earth orbit.
