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SpaceX Joins Space Laser Satellite Communication

Oct 5, 2023

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Space-based internet services have reached another milestone with the launch of two new mini V2 SpaceX satellites that can communicate via lasers.

SpaceX revolutionized space-based internet services when it launched the first Starlink satellites three years ago, a service that has grown rapidly and provided internet connection to remotely located users. The widely popular service is now looking to improve its offering, as competition warms up.

SpaceX has been looking for ways to reduce data transfers between satellites and ground stations, which are intermediaries between the satellites and data centers where information is stored. This is where laser-based communication comes in.

According to Interesting Engineering, these space lasers called Optical Intersatellite Links allow satellites within the constellation to communicate with each other, and since this method bypasses the constant communication between the ground station and satellites, it helps improve internet speeds for customers and reduces the latency of responses.

Starlink said in a tweet that its constellation will be equipped with over 8,000 lasers that enable inter-satellite communication with pinpoint accuracy even though they are thousands of miles apart. Each laser link can provide a data transfer speed of 100 Gbps.

it seems that Starlink is looking to increase the applications of its space-based internet services to fields like the maritime and aviation industries. But apart from business customers, it seems that among the slowly rising competition (like Amazon’s Kuiper project or the new OneWeb constellation) Starlink also wants to keep its existing customers content. Although Starlink’s internet services are faster than broadband connections in most countries where it operates, the company still wants to stay ahead of the game. Furthermore, a higher number of satellites in orbit ensures that Starlink’s network remains reliable as more users continue to sign up for its services around the globe.