SpaceX has made some headlines this year, but one of their most notable advancements is that of Starlink, their satellite internet service that can provide people with super-fast internet remotely.
The company now has just under 1,000 satellites in low Earth orbit that help connect with locations across Canada and the northern US. These satellites work by connecting to “ground stations” that can receive the satellite signals and channel the broadband Internet to homes or businesses via fiber optic cable.
As SpaceX expands its capacity for more and more customers and regions, they need to build more ground stations to collect the Starlink signals. But what do these earth stations look like? Reddit user ‘andrew867’ came across one in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, taking photos to share with the world.
Ground stations are a critical building block for the Starlink network, connecting the satellite system to the backbone of the mainland internet.
Reddit user Andrew867 noted that in his post Eastlink has direct access to the only viable dark fiber / wavelength service entering the county from Nova Scotia. Zayo, Rogers and the NL government all have access to strands, but since Eastlink has locations in Nova Scotia, it made sense to I have no doubt Starlink will set up more uplinks across the province to improve coverage of the existing fiber route. “
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All this is an interesting insight into how SpaceX is undergoing the rollout of their Starlink system, using existing providers to further make their services available.
A placard at the bottom of one of the domes reads:
“Owned by SpaceX. Prototype – not for sale or lease This device is intended for demonstration use only. This prototype device may not conform to European Union directives. It’s for technical evaluation only. This device is not authorized as required by Federal Communications Commission regulations. This device is not and must not be offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased until permission is obtained. Therefore, ownership must remain with SpaceX. “
The image below shows the SpaceX ID (SPXID) on the bottom of the dome.
SpaceX will continue to build ground stations as it gets more regulatory approvals to do so in the United States and Canada.