SpaceX prepares for Starlink Satellite Internet Air Force Test

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is preparing to further test its Starlink satellite internet in a demonstration for the US Air Force, the company announced in a recent request to the Federal Communications Commission.

“SpaceX seeks to make minor changes to its experimental authorization for additional testing activities undertaken with the federal government,” the company wrote in a submission to the FCC on Thursday.

“The tests are designed to demonstrate the ability to transmit and receive information from (1) two stationary ground sites and (2) one aircraft in one place, and would allow this (3) limited testing of a moving vehicle on the ground, ‘said SpaceX.

Starlink is the company’s capital – intensive project to build an interconnected internet network with thousands of satellites, called a constellation in the space industry, designed to deliver high – speed internet to consumers across the planet.

SpaceX has announced that it is partnering with Ball Aerospace, a defense and space contractor for this test, to provide the antennas needed to connect Starlink satellites to an aircraft.

SpaceX noted that Ball specifically manufactures “compliant tactical aircraft antennas” – meaning military jets.

Musk’s company also noted that the Starlink test is under the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (DEUCSI) defense experiment, for which Ball was awarded a $ 9.7 million contract in August. SpaceX has stressed that the FCC has previously approved experimental Starlink tests, including previous air force tests dating back to early 2018.

“The Commission has previously granted SpaceX an experimental authorization for activities undertaken with the federal government to demonstrate the capability of SpaceXs. [non-geostationary orbit] system to transmit and receive information between both fixed ground and air stations on board moving aircraft, ” the company said in its file with the FCC.

SpaceX, Ball Aerospace and the Air Force Research Laboratory did not respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.

The Air Force experiment will begin ground testing near SpaceX’s Starlink manufacturing facilities in Redmond, Washington. Then the test will move to Edwards Air Force Base in California for a ‘ground-to-air scenario’.

“An antenna terminal will be integrated into one aircraft. SpaceX designs a custom installation set consisting of mechanical plates for the low-profile antennas and a hood to reduce wind resistance to limit the impact on the aircraft for this installation, “SpaceX said in the FCC filing.

Although SpaceX has not identified a timeline for the test, the company said it “expects it to take four to six months to test.”