SpaceX is struggling with funding.
In a rare press release, SpaceX said it would appeal an investment resolution similar to its Starlink broadband satellite constellation, which aims to send service to rural spaces around the world.
The area launch giant was recently turned down for nearly $900 million in investment in rural connectivity through the Bureau of Fixed-Line Competition (a branch of the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC). SpaceX called the resolution (opens in a new tab) “patently unfair. “in its Sept. 9 appeal to the regulator, which is under review.
Related: SpaceX Starlink satellites to transmit service to smartphones
Simultaneously, SpaceX competitor Lynk won FCC approval (opens in new tab) on Sept. 16 for its satellite phone connection network, lacking only one cellphone service spouse to provide the service. The news comes as SpaceX, for that same market, already announced an upcoming marriage with T-Mobile in August, although it has not yet been approved by the FCC for the service.
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SpaceX, funded through billionaire Elon Musk, seeks to provide rural regions with a network of satellites, while Lynk plans periodic access to the area of an orbital mobile tower (opens in a new tab). Lynk already demonstrated satellite-to-phone service in a test last year, according to Via Satellite. (Opens in a new tab) Although the service is itinerant-only, Lynk says it would be useful for rural emergencies.
While Lynk has permission to operate the service in theory, the next steps to get it up and running will come with a frequency check with its potential cell-service spouse to make sure its operations don’t interfere with other satellites in orbit, according to TechCrunch.
Another player in the area’s cellphone policy is Apple, which announced last week that its iPhone 14 would feature an SOS satellite service (opens in a new tab) for GlobalStar emergencies starting in November.
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Elizabeth Howell, Ph. D. , has been the air chain’s staff editor since 2022. He contributed to the writing of Space. com (opens new window) for 10 years, since 2012. As a proud trekkie and Canadian, she also tackles topics such as diversity, science fiction, astronomy, and games to help others explore the universe. Reports on Elizabeth’s site include two manned spaceflight launches from Kazakhstan, 3 round-trip projects to Florida, and built-in reports of a simulated Mars. He holds a Ph. D. and M. Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Carleton University in Canada. Elizabeth has also been a postsecondary science and communication instructor since 2015. His most recent book, NASA Leadership Moments, is co-authored with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth first became interested in the area after seeing the movie Apollo Thirteen in 1996, and still needs to be an astronaut someday.
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