SpaceX’s Starlink satellites have rapidly changed what was once believed to be impossible regarding satellite internet connectivity. The vast Starlink constellation has already connected people worldwide to the knowledge that the internet offers. SpaceX is now preparing to expand Starlink’s reach by beta testing Direct-to-Cell (DTC) Starlink satellites, which will connect mobile phones to cellular services from almost anywhere on Earth.

Starlink is SpaceX’s nearly 7,000-satellite low-Earth orbit (LEO) internet constellation. These satellites connect more than 4.6 million people from over 118 nations on all continents to high-speed internet. SpaceX launches batches of 20+ Starlink satellites weekly, each containing a number of Direct-to-Cell satellites.

The first operational Starlink satellites were launched on a Falcon 9 on Nov. 11, 2019. This mission placed 60 satellites into a 550-kilometer altitude orbit around the Earth. Launching the satellites to such an orbit allows data speeds more than 65 times higher than other internet satellites typically positioned in geostationary orbit.

In recent years, SpaceX has been working to expand the Starlink product beyond typical households. It is now available in a compact and mini size for people who plan to use Starlink on the go. SpaceX also offers higher data rates for businesses on land, at sea, and in the air.

Starlink is used not only on Earth but also on SpaceX’s Starship to improve connectivity to the vehicle while in space. This has resulted in stunning live views of Starship flights and reentry. Livestreaming the reentry of a vehicle through Earth’s atmosphere was once impossible due to plasma build-up around the vehicle from high temperatures. However, Starlink’s constant data transmission through space to Earth at an expedited rate allows SpaceX to receive live images from cameras on their spacecraft and subsequently stream them to websites.

On Aug. 25, 2022, SpaceX and multiple partner cell phone carriers worldwide announced a plan to create satellites that connect directly to the carriers’ phones. This would allow messages, phone calls, and data to be transmitted anywhere the sky can be seen.