SpaceX, the aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded by Elon Musk, plans to build and operate 99 Starlink Gateway stations in 40 U.S. states and territories, including Guam and Puerto Rico. Some of these sites are under construction and others have been operational since the company started to provide internet services in 2019. SpaceX currently operates approximately 150 ground stations around the world, also referred to as "Starlink Gateways," which play a crucial role in linking the Starlink satellites with internet data centers on the ground. These data centers connect to existing fiber-optic infrastructures and send data to the Starlink satellites in Low Earth Orbit. However, long-term, when SpaceX launches more Starlink V2 satellites to orbit, some of the satellites will not require to connect directly to a gateways because each V2 features inter-satellite communication ‘laser links’ that enable the satellites to ‘laser beam’ data to one another in orbit which will enable even faster internet service.
In December 2022, SpaceX filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to build or upgrade around 21 U.S. gateway sites equipped with "E-band capabilities" for the Starlink V2 satellites. Some of these Gateways are already operational, described as 'live' in the list below.
Earlier this year, Adelanto Mayor Gabriel Reyes told reporters that SpaceX received permission to build a cutting-edge Starlink ground infrastructure in Adelanto, California, to support its second-generation Starlink satellites in orbit, aimed at delivering faster and more reliable internet services. These stations are expected to significantly enhance uplink and downlink speeds, promising a more seamless internet experience for users. The "Los Angeles Gateway Earth Station" facility is located west of Highway 395 and near El Mirage Road, and includes eight antennas, which are each 5-feet in diameter, according to the FCC filing. California city officials in Adelanto highlighted the benefits of having the SpaceX facility in close proximity. They stated in a newsletter, "Such proximity means that our residents will receive the quickest internet speeds from Starlink's internet offering, once launched."
SpaceX officially announced the Adelanto facility through an FCC filing, marking another significant step in the company's mission to provide faster and more widespread internet access via a low-orbiting satellite network. The Adelanto project is part of SpaceX's broader plan to deploy its second-generation satellites, aiming to expand internet coverage across the United States. Mayor Gabriel Reyes expressed his enthusiasm for the project in February, stating: "We continue to strengthen our position as an innovative and business-friendly city that partners with the state to attract cutting-edge technologies and institutional players. Such projects will create well-paying jobs and improve the quality of life of our residents," said Mayor Reyes.
Adelanto is set to become one of the many U.S. SpaceX Starlink Gateway sites equipped with "E-Band capabilities," promising to provide faster uplink and downlink speeds to meet the growing demand for high-speed internet access. Besides Adelanto, the locations of other Starlink Gateway sites that SpaceX requested to build or already operates includes:
Adelanto, California (construction ongoing)
Anchorage, Arkansas (live)
Anderson, South Carolina (construction pending)
Angola, Indiana (construction ongoing)
Arbuckle, California (construction pending)
Arlington, Oregon (construction pending)
Arvin, California (construction pending)
Atlanta, Georgia (construction pending)
Baxley, Georgia (live)
Beekmantown, New York (live)
Bellingham, Washington (live)
Benkelman, Nebraska (construction ongoing)
Blountsville, Alabama (construction ongoing)
Boca Chica, Texas (live)
Boydton, Virginia (construction pending)
Brewster, Washington (live)
Broadview, Illinois (live)
Brunswick, Maine (construction ongoing)
Butte, Montana (live)
Cass County, North Dakota (live)
Charleston, Oregon (live)
Charleston, South Carolina (construction pending)
Cheyenne, Wyoming (construction pending)
Clinton, Illinois (construction ongoing)
Colburn, Idaho (live)
Columbus, Ohio (unknown)
Conrad, Montana (live)
Des Moines, Iowa (construction pending)
Dumas, Texas (live)
Elbert, Colorado (live)
Elkton, Maryland (unknown)
Evanston, Wyoming (live)
Fairbanks, Alaska (live)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida (live)
Frederick, Maryland (live)
Gaffney, South Carolina (live)
Greenville, Pennsylvania (live)
Hamshire, Texas (live)
Hawthorne, California (live)
Hillman, Michigan (live)
Hillsboro, Texas (live)
Hitterdal, Minnesota (live)
Inman, Kansas (live)
Kalama, Washington (live)
Kenansville, Florida (live)
Ketchikan, Alaska (live)
Kuparuk, Alaska (live)
Lawrence, Kansas (live)
Litchfield, Connecticut (live)
Lockport, New York (live)
Loring, Maine (live)
Lunenberg, Vermont (live)
Mandale, North Carolina (live)
Manistique, Michigan (live)
Marcell, Minnesota (live)
Marshall, Texas (construction ongoing)
McGregor, Texas (live)
Merrillan, Wisconsin (live)
Molokai, Hawaii (live)
Mt Ayr, Indiana (live)
Murrieta, California (construction pending)
Nemaha, Nebraska (live)
New Braunfels, Texas (live)
Nome, Alaska (live)
Norcross, Georgia (live)
North Bend, Washington (construction pending)
Olympia, Washington (construction pending)
Panaca, Nevada (live)
Port Matilda, Pennsylvania (construction ongoing)
Prosser, Washington (live)
Punta Gorda, Florida (live)
Quincy, Washington (construction pending)
Redmond, Washington (live)
Richardson, Texas (construction pending)
Roberts, Wisconsin (construction ongoing)
Robbins, California (live)
Robertsdale, Alabama (live)
Rolette, North Dakota (live)
Roll, Arizona (live)
Romulus, New York (construction ongoing)
San Antonio, Texas (construction pending)
Sanderson, Texas (live)
Savanna, Oklahoma (construction ongoing)
Savannah, Tennessee (unknown)
Sheffield, Illinois (construction ongoing)
Slope County, North Dakota (live)
Springer, Oklahoma (live)
Sullivan, Maine (live)
The Dalles, Oregon (construction pending)
Tionesta, California (live)
Tracy City, Tennessee (live)
Unalaska, Alaska (live, as reported by TESMANIAN today)
Vernon, Utah (live)
Warren, Missouri (live)
Wichita Falls, Texas (construction pending)
Wise, North Carolina (live)
York, Pennsylvania (construction pending)
Puerto Rico (unknown)
Guam (unknown)
As of today, SpaceX operates approximately 4,764 satellites in Low Earth Orbit, delivering high-speed internet services to over 1.5 million subscribers worldwide. With the construction of all these new Starlink Gateways and the deployment of second-generation satellites, SpaceX aims to further revolutionize global internet connectivity. Read more: SpaceX Unveils Starlink Gateway Station on Remote Unalaska Island, Delivering Blazing 10 Gbps Internet
SpaceX Unveils Starlink Gateway Station on Remote Unalaska Island, Delivering Blazing 10 Gbps Internet
— Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo (@JaneidyEve) September 19, 2023
by @JaneidyEve via @Tesmanian_com https://t.co/TPfW36mIq6
》 Author's note: My work is possible Thanks to everyone who reads Tesmanian.com. Write your thoughts in the comment section below. If you have any news tips, story suggestions or feedback, send me a Direct Message on X.com (social media): Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo @JaneidyEve Read my most recent stories here: Recent News Stories 《
Featured Image Source: Vernon, Utah Starlink Gateway / diadumenianus via Reddit
About the Author
Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo
Evelyn J. Arevalo joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover news as a Space Journalist and SpaceX Starbase Texas Correspondent. Evelyn is specialized in rocketry and space exploration. The main topics she covers are SpaceX and NASA.
