The first set of Starlink satellites designed to enable cellphone service blasted off Tuesday night aboard a Falcon 9 rocket that also ushered in a new, and possibly busier, launch year at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Liftoff of the two-stage booster built by SpaceX occurred at 7:44 p.m. from Space Launch Complex-4 on the South Base, with the team confirming the satellite deployment slightly more than one hour after the rocket’s departure.
SpaceX said the mission employed a first-stage booster making its inaugural flight, with a long, crackling rumble signaling the departure into the night sky.
Veteran launch spectators noted that the rocket traveled a different trajectory than its predecessors.
Once its part of the mission was done, the first-stage booster landed about eight minutes later on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship stationed in the Pacific Ocean. The successful landing reportedly marked the 260th for SpaceX.
The 21 Starlink satellites, designed and built by SpaceX, joined thousands of others launched from Florida and California to provide space-based Internet access across the globe.
However, six of the spacecraft launched Tuesday also will bring a new capability — essentially creating a cell tower in space.
“Direct-to-cell allows users to seamlessly connect to SpaceX satellites when they enter a remote area that currently has no cell service and operates just like a mobile phone tower does on the ground — but from space,” said Kate Tice, SpaceX senior manager of quality systems engineering.
SpaceX announced in summer 2022 that T-Mobile would offer Starlink direct-to-cell capability. Similar deals also have been lined up with other providers in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland.
The initial six direct-to-cell satellites will be used to test the service in the United States.
In 2024, Starlink will offer texting for certain cellphones with voice and data expected in 2025, the company said.
The Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capability employ an advanced modem onboard that acts like a cellphone tower in space, SpaceX said. Customers of certain wireless phone providers will be able to use existing cellphones even in areas typically out of range for normal land-based service.
In 100-plus missions, more than 5,600 Starlink satellites have been placed in orbit, although roughly 5,200 remain in space. Falcon rocket launches from Florida and California have delivered Starlink satellites.
Since Starlink began providing beta service three years ago, 2.3 million households and organizations in more than 70 countries now use the system’s high-speed, low-latency capability, SpaceX officials said.