SpaceX launches its first ‘direct-to-cell’ Starlink satellites

SpaceX launched 21 Starlink satellites on Wednesday, including six "direct-to-cell" satellites that can be used to access internet directly using smartphones.

SpaceX used its Falcon 9 rocket to launch the 21 satellites. (SpaceX via X.com)

SpaceX on Wednesday launched 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from the Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenber Space Force Base in California. The launch carried the first six Starlink satellites with “Direct to Cell” capabilities that will allow users to directly connect their cell phones to mobile networks without a Starlink terminal.

Essentially the Direct-to-Cell Starlink satellites have advanced modems that act as cellphone towers in space. This could potentially be used to eliminate cell phone service deadzones on the ground. Similar to how network providers work with other network providers in different countries to offer global roaming services to their customers, they would soon be able to partner with Starlink to offer this Direct to Cell service to their customers.

The six @Starlink satellites on this mission with Direct to Cell capability will further global connectivity and help to eliminate dead zones → https://t.co/FgiJ7LOYdK pic.twitter.com/zFy7SrpsYs

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 3, 2024

According to SpaceX, there are already many providers using Direct to Cell to gain reciprocal access in partner nations like T-Mobile in the United States, Rogers in Canada, KDDI in Japan, Optus in Australia, One NZ in New Zealand, Salt in Switzerland and Entel in Chile and Peru.

SpaceX had a fairly eventful 2023. Its Starship, which will be the most powerful rocket ever built when complete, exploded twice in the year during test flights. The Elon Musk-led company also carried many crew and cargo missions to the International Space Station while its competitor Boeing is yet to complete one crewed mission despite receiving a contract to do that at the same time as SpaceX.

But the company focused a large part of its efforts on building out the Starlink low-Earth orbit satellite network. Right now, it has over 5,000 active satellites transmitting relatively low-latency internet from orbit. With launches like the one that happened on Wednesday, that number continues to grow as the company continues to grow the largest satellite internet network in the world.

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