Table of Contents
What has happened?
- Elon Musk’s SpaceX plans to partner with Indian companies to locally manufacture satellite communications equipment,
- Including antenna systems and user terminal devices, as it gears up to launch its high-speed Starlink satellite broadband services in the country next year.
- “SpaceX is excited to find ways to work together with the Indian industry for manufacturing products for its Starlink devices,”
- Matt Botwin, director (market access with the Starlink program), said on Monday,
- During SpaceX’s first official interaction with Department of Telecommunications (DoT) secretary Anshu Prakash.
- The company always looks for opportunities to maximise the efficiency of its (global) supply chain, and
- “Is now looking forward to working with its partners in India to recognise those opportunities”, Botwin said.
- This was also SpaceX’s first official comments on its India plans in the satellite communications space.
But how this interaction b/w DoT & SpaceX?
- The DoT had called a meeting with global satellite companies to discuss a holistic roadmap,
- For locally manufacturing satellite communications gear and ways to create an enabling regulatory regime for global low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation operators to establish in-country gateways in India.
- Those present at the meeting included officials from OneWeb, Viasat, Hughes, Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea, Department of Space, and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
- India’s satellite based communications space is heating up with the likes of SpaceX, Bharti Global-backed OneWeb and Jeff Bezos-led Amazon’s Project Kuiper looking to enter the country’s nascent satellite broadband space starting next year.
What satellite companies told DoT?
- During the meeting, satellite companies strongly discouraged the Indian government from auctioning mmWave satellite spectrum in the 28 GHz band for 5G mobile services,
- Saying such a move would impact their data download speeds and geographical reach in India.
- The coveted 28 GHz spectrum – with a band range from 27.5 GHz to 29.5 GHz – is currently used exclusively by satellite players but it is considered a highly efficient band for 5G services.
How does 5G work?
- All 5G networks chiefly operate on three spectrum bands.
- Telcos, on their part, have repeatedly told DoT that unavailability of 28 GHz spectrum could jolt India’s 5G business case.
- Without these airwaves, 5G deployment costs would surge and make the ultra-fast wireless broadband service unaffordable in the country, they said.
SpaceX plan in India
- Botwin, one of Musk’s key lieutenants, said, “SpaceX has been working with the Indian industrial sector for a long time, buying steel and steel-tubing for many of its rockets.”
- It is now committed to manufacturing hardware and satellite components and components of (satellite broadband) networks in India, he said.
- The company, known for its vertical integration, manufactures the gamut of rockets, antennae systems and user terminal devices.
- SpaceX has been accepting pre-orders for beta version of its Starlink satellite internet service in India for a fully refundable deposit of $99 (above Rs 7,000).
- According to its website, the company’s satellite broadband services are being targeted in India in 2022, although availability, it says, is subject to regulatory approvals.
Q) As the height of a satellite orbit gets lower, the speed of the satellite?
- Increases
- Decreases
- Remains the same
- None of the above
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