SpaceX has successfully completed its 13th Starlink mission, with over 700 satellites launched to date.
It launched 60 of its Starlink broadband internet satellites on October 6th after the mission was previously delayed three times, twice due to weather and once because of an unusual sensor reading.
Following the successful launch, Elon Musk tweeted that SpaceX will hopefully be able to launch a public beta in southern Canada once the satellites reach their positions.
“Once these satellites reach their target position, we will be able to roll out a fairly wide public beta in northern US and hopefully southern Canada,” Musk tweeted.
Once these satellites reach their target position, we will be able to roll out a fairly wide public beta in northern US & hopefully southern Canada. Other countries to follow as soon as we receive regulatory approval.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 6, 2020
SpaceX is currently conducting private beta testing of Starlink, and revealed that it has achieved download speeds of up to 100Mbps.
The company previously stated that the speeds are fast enough to allow users to stream several HD video streams at the same time while still having bandwidth to spare. SpaceX has noted that the beta tests have shown latency low enough to play multiplayer online games.
SpaceX says although the beta tests have shown impressive results, it believes that future updates will bring more capabilities over time.
Starlink aims to leverage an extensive network of hundreds of low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites to provide high-speed internet across parts of the U.S. and Canada.
Details about Starlink’s beta tests leaked online in July and revealed the conditions and requirements that participants will have to adhere to. For instance, all beta testers are required to have a clear view of the northern sky to participate. Otherwise, the dish will be unable to make a good connection.
Beta testers are not allowed to reveal details about their participation, and must keep information about things like speeds and quality confidential. If beta testers are found to be partaking in illegal activities, such as storing pirated content, it may suspend or terminate their participation.
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