SpaceX shock: Starlink to play bigger role in ‘massive' live-fire Air Force exercise

The US Air Force tested its experimental Advanced Battle Management System capable of connecting air, sea, land and space assets late last year. The exercise was deemed an overall success, with the controversial SpaceX Starlink satellites used to communicate to a Lockheed Martin AC-130 gunship.

As a next step, the Air Force’s April 8 event is going to be “massive,” Air Force acquisition chief Dr William Roper told reporters at the Pentagon.

The SpaceX Starlink satellites will play an even bigger role than in December, as Dr Roper wants them to connect to more assets, including platforms on the ground.

He said: “SpaceX has been a great industry partner for us.

“They are very excited, and we are excited to learn more about their satellites through the demonstration.”

READ MORE: NASA supercomputer creates millions of ‘Universes’

Starlink may not be the only commercial space provider in the exercises.

Dr Roper has revealed he is in discussions with Virgin Orbit, the privately held sister company of Virgin Galactic, to participate with its LauncherOne to provide on-demand launches.

Virgin Orbit is dedicated to launching small satellites via its LauncherOne rocket, which is launched in midair off a modified Boeing 747 jumbo jet.

Space-based communications are seen as key enablers of the Pentagon’s emerging war fighting doctrine of “multidomain operations,” requiring air, land, sea, space and cyberspace assets to network directly with each other.

Mr Musk has said it needs 400 Starlink satellites for “minor” broadband internet coverage and 800 for “moderate” coverage. The company eventually plans to deploy over 40,000 satellites to offer space-based internet service.

SpaceX launched its latest batch of Starlink satellites earlier this month, bringing the total number of satellites in orbit to over 300.

SpaceX plans to start delivering internet services to customers via Starlink this summer, Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell said at a private investors meeting hosted by JPMorgan earlier this month, according to Bloomberg.

SpaceX is reportedly looking to raise $250 million (£193 million) in financing by selling shares at $220 (£172), sources told CNBC.

This would value Elon Musk’s cutting-edge space company at $36 billion (£28 billion).

source: express.co.uk