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The FCC granted permission for SpaceX to launch the 10 Starlink satellites into a 560-kilometer orbit with an inclination of 97.6 degrees.
SpaceX submitted a 2021-01-05 filing with the FCC that confirmed Transporter-1 would include 10 Starlink satellites targeted for operation in polar orbits if proper authorization was received.
Viasat submitted a 2020-11-19 filing opposing SpaceX’s request to launch satellites into polar orbit and raised concerns about Starlink satellite reliability and orbital debris hazards.
The Federal Communications Commission published an order on 2021-01-08 permitting SpaceX to launch 10 Starlink satellites into polar orbit.
SpaceX requested on 2020-11-17 permission to launch 58 Starlink satellites into a single polar orbital plane.
The 10 Starlink satellites authorized by the FCC will launch on a Falcon 9 no earlier than 2021-01-14 as part of the Transporter-1 dedicated smallsat rideshare mission.
The Falcon 9 first stage that launched Turksat 5A previously launched the GPS SV03 satellite in June 2020 and two Starlink missions in September and October 2020.
Unofficial manifests in early 2021 suggested SpaceX could perform more than 30 Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches in 2021 for government and commercial customers and for its own Starlink satellites.
Viasat cited a failure-rate statistic as high as 7% that included many of the original v0.9 Starlink satellites launched in May 2019 that SpaceX has been deorbiting.
SpaceX held ex parte meetings with FCC staff in December regarding its proposed Starlink license modification, including a request to launch a set of Starlink satellites into a sun-synchronous orbital plane to use an upcoming polar launch availability.
Viasat requested that the FCC complete an environmental review before approving SpaceX’s request to modify its existing license to operate nearly 3,000 additional Starlink satellites in lower orbits.
Astronomers have worked with SpaceX to mitigate Starlink impacts on observations by incorporating visors on Starlink satellites to reduce reflected sunlight and brightness.
SpaceX is offering Starlink beta testers a terminal that includes an antenna and router for $499.
Less than $140 annually per subsidized customer is approximately enough to provide a $12 discount on a $99 Starlink subscription.
At an estimated $2,400 build cost for a phased-array Starlink user terminal, the $885,500,000 RDOF stipend would allow SpaceX to break even on roughly 47,000 U.S. rural dishes per year at a $499 beta trial price.
SpaceX aims to build and operate a 12,000-satellite Starlink constellation.
Starlink can deliver 100 Mbps broadband speeds compared with the FCC baseline standard of 25 Mbps.
The first stage used for the SXM-7 launch was flying for the seventh time and had previously launched the Demo-1 commercial crew test flight, the Radarsat Constellation Mission, and four sets of Starlink satellites.
The Falcon 9 first stage booster used on the SXM-7 mission previously supported four Starlink missions in 2020.
SpaceX is mastering reusability and executing Starlink’s launches at marginal cost, with Falcon 9 recovery and reuse becoming a standard endorsed by customers.