Space Shuttle In Space

SpaceX Satellites May Soon Bring High-Speed Internet Access to Remote Areas of San Bernardino County

As stated in an article in the Victorville Daily Press, March 19, 2021, thousands of small satellites launched by SpaceX may soon provide high-speed internet access to remote areas of San Bernardino County. That’s welcome news for local sheriff’s deputies, emergency responders, business owners, gamers and other internet users in places like Lucerne Valley, Phelan, Piñon Hills, Big Bear and other communities. County officials took a keen interest, March 14, 2021, when the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a new batch of 60 Starlink internet satellites into orbit from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Earlier this month, the county Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with Starlink to test a beta version of the low-flying SpaceX satellites, which would provide the county with connectivity to sheriff’s deputies and other county personnel serving the public in remote areas. If the county’s beta test is successful, it would be uniquely positioned to take advantage of the service for the many remote, or otherwise “infrastructure-challenged” areas, according to a county press release. Last year, Starlink began offering beta testing to the public for the satellite-based internet service while it continues a planned expansion to achieve near-global coverage in 2021. The company’s system is available to a limited number of users per coverage area and orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the Starlink website. The company also said field-of-view constraints will decrease as more satellites are launched. The hardware required to use Starlink will cost $499, with internet service costing $99 a month. The hardware kit includes a Starlink, Wi-Fi router, power supply, cables and mounting tripod.

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