SpaceX completes Direct to Cell commercial shell with new Falcon 9 mission

On November 25, SpaceX launched a new Falcon 9 mission into orbit and deployed the final round of Direct to Cell satellites to complete the commercial orbit shell and launch services for customers.

The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in the early Morning. The payload of this flight contained 23 Starlink satellites including 12 with Direct to Cell capabilities.

The company started this year by deploying the first batches of Direct to Cell satellites and continues to do so this year.

Direct to Cell satellites are designed to provide seamless connectivity for text, voice, and data for LTE phones around the globe. Unlike Starlink, Direct to Cell connects to unmodified devices similar to a regular mobile service provider plan.

These satellites have an advanced eNodeB modem onboard that acts like a cellphone tower in space to enable network integration similar to a standard roaming partner. It is compatible with CAT-1, CAT-1 Bis, and CAT-4 modems.

The company has announced a partnership with T-Mobile in the US to provide services for customers.

Since March, SpaceX and T-Mobile have been testing these new satellites and connectivity for text and video calling. Visuals shared online confirmed that the data transmission is quite fast and stable.

SpaceX demonstrated video call using Direct to Cell Satellite (Image Source – SpaceX)

Partners

SpaceX has partnered with major telecom operators around the globe to launch direct-to-cell services including the following:

• OPTUS (AUSTRALIA)
• ROGERS (CANADA)
• ONE NZ (NEW ZEALAND)
• KDDI (JAPAN)
• SALT (SWITZERLAND)
• ENTEL (CHILE)
• ENTEL (PERU)

These partners will launch services starting in 2025.

(source)