SpaceX’s Starlink internet was approved by San Bernardino County’s Board of Supervisors earlier this month, according to a press release. The process will begin with the expansion of Starlink beta testing to the region, and if all goes well, the county could be positioned to take advantage of the service on behalf of its many remotely-located residents.
@elonmusk is there an updated timeline for Starlink in my area? (More refined than mid to late 2021)? San Bernardino County, specifically Fort Irwin military base
— David McCarthy (@Andy8671025) March 15, 2021
San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman said, “Starlink holds the promise of making high-speed internet available to students, home businesses, seniors, and other county residents who have never imagined service could be possible in their communities.”
San Bernardino County is the largest county in the US (except for 4 Alaskan “boroughs”), and is larger than all of Switzerland, as well as nine US states, measuring a total of 20,105 square miles. The county is also filled with rural communities, making it an excellent testing ground for the low-Earth orbit satellite internet.
According to the county’s chief administrative officer, David Wert, he clarified to Tesla North the board approved the Starlink test on March 9, but the press release was only added to the online archives on Monday, March 29, 2021.
Starlink satellite is currently available in beta for users in the United States, Canada, the UK, Germany and New Zealand.
Earlier this month, a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing suggested that SpaceX is likely looking to take Starlink mobile, due to requests for the operation of mobile terminals. The company also signed an agreement with NASA later in the month, which is expected to help avoid space collisions between orbiting objects.
SpaceX also completed four Starlink launches in March, sending up 240 satellites into orbit.
