SpaceX has filed a new application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for approval to launch a constellation of 7,518 satellites to provide communications in the little used V band.
The system is in addition to another constellations of 4,425 satellites (plus orbital spares) SpaceX proposed in November that would operate in the Ku and Ka bands. In total, the two constellations would have 11,943 spacecraft plus spares.
“When combined into a single, coordinated system, these ‘LEO’ and ‘VLEO’ constellations will enable SpaceX to provide robust broadband services on a full and continuous global basis,” SpaceX said in its application.
Competitor OneWeb has submitted a new application that would add an additional 2,000 satellites capable of operating in the V-band to its planned constellation of 720 satellites.
OneWeb satellite. (Credit: Airbus Defence & Space)
While SpaceX has received most of the attention for its plan to launch more than 4,000 broadband satellite network, the constellation makes up just over half the number of spacecraft that companies have proposed placing in non-geosynchronous satellite orbit (NGSO).
Companies have filed applications with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch 8,731 NGSO communications satellites. While most of the constellations would provide broadband and communications services, others would collect Earth observation data.
According to the International Telecommunications Union, NGSO spacecraft “occupy a range of orbital positions (LEO satellites are located between 700km-1,500km from the Earth, MEO satellites are located at 10,000km from the Earth), and do not maintain a stationary position, but instead move in relation to the Earth’s surface.”
SpaceX leads the pack with 4,425 spacecraft, followed by Boeing with 2,956 and WorldVu (aka, OneWeb) with 720. Boeing has a second application before the FCC for a constellation with 60 satellites.
The table below provides a summary of the applications filed with the FCC.
NGSO APPLICATIONS BEFORE FCC
COMPANY
LOCATION
NO. OF SATELLITES
BANDS
SERVICES
SpaceX
Hawthorne, CA
4,425
Ka, Ku
Global broadband
Boeing
Seattle, WA
2,956
V
Advanced communications, Internet-based services
WorldVu (OneWeb)
Arlington, VA
720
Ku
Global broadband
Kepler Communications
Toronto, ONT
140
Ku
Machine-to-machine communications (Internet of Things)
Telesat Canada
Ottawa, ONT
117
Ka
Wide band and narrow band communications services
Theia Holdings A, Inc.
Philadelphia, PA
112
Ka
Integrated Earth observation and communications network
Spire Global
San Francisco, CA
100
Ka
Maritime monitoring, meteorological monitoring, and earth imaging services
LeoSat MA
Pompano Beach, FL
80
Ka
Broadband services
Boeing
Seattle, WA
60
Ka
Very high speed connectivity for end-user earth stations
O3b
Washington, DC
60
Ka
Broadband services
ViaSat
Carlsbad, CA
24
Ka, V
Broadband services
Karousel LLC
Alexandria, VA
12
Ka
Communications
Audacy Communications
Walnut, CA
3
K, V
Data relay constellation providing satellite operators with seamless access to NGSO satellites
