Between launching electric cars into space, and both middle fingers at Facebook, magnate and possible Bond villain Elon Musk is making sure the cold depths of space can now be warmed by fuzzy pics of doggos. Well, at the very least, the cold depths of space that are in the low orbits of Earth.  

Dubbed "Starlink", the satellite constellation development project is part of SpaceX's plan to provide internet access though communications satellites. Battling against inclement weather, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying two prototype sattelites capabale of beaming high-speed internet back to Mother Earth was launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in Southern California back in February, 2018. Following the successful mission, SpaceX then filed regulatory paperwork in March to launch a whole fleet of sattelites (apx. 12,000 for those playing at home) including 7,518 to "provide communications in the little used V band in very low Earth orbit". If all goes smoothly, the initial operation of the constellation could commence as early as 2019 (!). 

It's certainly not the first internet we've had in space, but it's potentially the most important expansion of space-fi... if all goes to plan, SpaceX aims to use Starlink to provide affordable internet connectivity all over the globe, and to have its profits swell the coffers of its SpaceX Mars fund. 

Old Musk might be a little kooky, and he miiiiggggght be working for SPECTRE, but never let it be said that he's not trying to take us places. 



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