US-based space exploration company, SpaceX, has announced plans to launch Starlink, its satellite Internet service, in Kenya. The firm said the lau
US-based space exploration company, SpaceX, has announced plans to launch Starlink, its satellite Internet service, in Kenya.
The firm said the launch will take place upon regulatory approval. Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) is an American spacecraft manufacturer, launcher, and a satellite communications corporation headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the stated goal of reducing space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars. The company manufactures the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship launch vehicles, several rocket engines, Cargo Dragon and Crew Dragon spacecraft, and Starlink communications satellites.
Starlink
Starlink is an internet satellite constellation under development that consists of thousands of cross-linked communications satellites in ~550 km orbits its goal is to address the significant unmet demand worldwide for low-cost broadband capabilities.
Development began in 2015, and initial prototype test-flight satellites were launched on the SpaceX Paz satellite mission in 2017. In May 2019, SpaceX launched the first batch of 60 satellites aboard a Falcon 9. Initial test operation of the constellation began in late 2020 and first orders were taken in early 2021.
In January 2020, the Starlink constellation became the largest satellite constellation ever launched, and as of December 2022 comprises over 3,300 small satellites in orbit. Starlink now offers service in 37 countries worldwide.
The Starlink kit, including a Starlink dish, a mounting tripod, a WiFi router, a power supply, and cables, will reportedly cost $499 (Sh73,677). Kenyans can pre-order the service and deposit a fully refundable deposit of Sh12,260 ($99) to reserve it if approved. According to SpaceX, service will be available in Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nakuru, among other cities, in June 2023.