A Falcon 9 rocket stands ready to support the Starlink 7-9 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The mission also includes the first six satellites that will be used for the company’s direct-to-cell service. Image: SpaceX

獵鷹 9 號火箭隨時準備好支援范登堡太空部隊基地的星鏈 7-9 任務。該任務還包括前六顆衛星，將用於該公司的直接到蜂窩服務。圖：SpaceX

Update 1:13 a.m. EST: SpaceX delayed the launch until Friday night at 9:19 p.m. PST (12:19 a.m. EST, 0519 UTC).

美國東部時間凌晨 1:13 更新：SpaceX 將發射推遲到週五晚上 9:19。太平洋標準時間（美國東部時間上午 12:19，世界標準時間 0519）。

SpaceX is looking to rebound from a week of scuttled launches with a Falcon 9 launch from California. The Starlink 7-9 mission will feature another batch of 21 satellites heading up to low Earth orbit, something that has become almost routine for the company.

SpaceX 希望透過在加州發射獵鷹 9 號火箭，從一周失敗的發射中恢復過來。 Starlink 7-9 任務將包括另一批 21 顆衛星前往近地軌道，幾乎已成為該公司的例行公事。

However, this late night Friday mission is unique in that it will include the first six Starlink satellites that feature direct-to-cell capabilities. SpaceX stated that the new function “will enable mobile network operators around the world to provide seamless global access to texting, calling and browsing… on land, lakes or coastal waters.”

然而，週五深夜的任務是獨一無二的，因為它將包括前六顆具有直接到蜂窩功能的星鏈衛星。 SpaceX 表示，這項新功能“將使世界各地的行動網路營運商能夠在陸地、湖泊或沿海水域上提供無縫的全球簡訊、通話和瀏覽服務。”

Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket supporting the mission is targeting the opening of the launch window at 9:19 p.m. PST (12:19 a.m. EST, 0519 UTC). Spaceflight Now will have live coverage of the mission starting about 30 minutes prior to liftoff.

支援此任務的獵鷹 9 號火箭的升空目標是在晚上 9 點 19 分開啟發射視窗。太平洋標準時間（美國東部時間上午 12:19，世界標準時間 0519）。 Spaceflight Now 將在升空前約 30 分鐘開始對此任務進行現場報道。

This direct-to-cell promise for the Starlink network is the beginning of a promise announced by SpaceX founder Elon Musk during an event in August 2022 with T-Mobile CEO and President Mike Sievert at Starbase in Texas.

這種針對Starlink 網路的直接到小區的承諾是SpaceX 創始人 Elon Musk 在2022 年8 月與T-Mobile 執行長兼總裁 Mike Sievert 在德克薩斯州Starbase 舉行的一次活動中宣布的承諾的開始。

Musk described the capability as a “massive game changer” that would eliminate dead zones in even the most remote parts of the world.

馬斯克將這種能力描述為“巨大的遊戲規則改變者”，甚至可以消除世界上最偏遠的盲點。

“This really is a big deal,” Musk said during the presentation. “Even if an entire region or country lost connectivity because of a severe hurricane or floods or fires or tornados, earthquakes… even if all the cell towers were taken out, your phone would still work.”

「這確實是一件大事，」馬斯克在演講中說道。 “即使整個地區或國家由於嚴重的颶風、洪水、火災、龍捲風、地震而失去連接……即使所有的手機信號塔都被拆除，你的手機仍然可以使用。”

According to a Nov. 30, 2023, email sent to Kathyrn Medley, the acting division chief of the Federal Communication’s (FCC) Satellite Licensing Division, SpaceX anticipates launching “approximately 840 direct-to-cell capable satellites over the next 6 months, with additional launches continuing after that period.”

根據2023 年11 月30 日發送給美國聯邦通訊委員會(FCC) 衛星許可部門代理處長凱瑟恩·梅德利(Kathyrn Medley) 的電子郵件，SpaceX 預計在未來6 個月內發射「約840 顆具有直接接入蜂窩能力的衛星，其中該時期之後還會繼續進行更多發射。”

Jameson Dempsey, SpaceX’s director of satellite policy and the author of the email, wrote that the planned and future launches would “ensure that we can launch a critical mass of satellites in time to deliver commercial service later in 2024.”

SpaceX 衛星政策總監、電子郵件作者 Jameson Dempsey 寫道，計劃中和未來的發射將“確保我們能夠及時發射足夠數量的衛星，以便在 2024 年晚些時候提供商業服務。”

“As such, while we understand that the Commission may limit our experimental authority to the satellites we expect to launch and testing the next 6 months, we request that the launch license include authority for all 7500 satellites in our direct-to-cell modification application,” Dempsey wrote.

「因此，雖然我們知道委員會可能會將我們的實驗權限限制在我們預計在未來6 個月內發射和測試的衛星上，但我們要求發射許可證在我們的直接到小區修改申請中包含所有7500 顆衛星的權限”，鄧普西寫道。

Sievert noted during the August 2022 event that the upcoming service in the U.S. would use the existing T-Mobile mid-band PCS spectrum.

Sievert 在 2022 年 8 月的活動中指出，美國即將推出的服務將使用現有的 T-Mobile 中頻 PCS 頻譜。

“That allows us to then dedicate that, working together, to the constellation that Starlink operates so that we are seeing those satellites from every corner of the country,” Sievert said. “If you have a clear view of the sky, our vision is you’re connected.”

西弗特說：“這使我們能夠共同努力，將其奉獻給星鏈運營的星座，以便我們能夠看到來自全國各個角落的這些衛星。” “如果你能清楚地看到天空，我們的願景就是讓你保持聯繫。”

“Your phone doesn’t know it’s connecting to space. It will scan for its home network, it’ll scan for terrestrial roaming partners as well,” Sievert  added. “And if it fails to see those things, it will scan again and it will connect to the authorized connection from the satellite and it’ll think it’s connected to a cell tower because that phone is using industry standard technology communication protocols and it has the spectrum already built in. At least, the vast majority of phones in circulation today do.”

「你的手機不知道它正在連接到太空。它會掃描其家庭網絡，也會掃描地面漫遊合作夥伴，」Sievert 補充道。 「如果它看不到這些東西，它會再次掃描，並連接到來自衛星的授權連接，它會認為它已連接到手機信號塔，因為該手機正在使用行業標準技術通信協議，並且它具有頻譜已經內置。至少，當今流通的絕大多數手機都是如此。”

In addition to T-Mobile as a U.S. service provider, SpaceX said it has partnered with companies in Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Switzerland.

SpaceX 表示，除了作為美國服務供應商的 T-Mobile 之外，它還與澳洲、加拿大、日本、紐西蘭和瑞士的公司合作。

Originally, the plan was to launch the service using the Starlink V2 satellites, which may still end up hosting the majority of the on-orbit antennas. However, because of their size they would need to launch using Starship.

最初的計畫是使用 Starlink V2 衛星啟動該服務，最終可能仍會託管大部分在軌天線。然而，由於它們的體積，它們需要使用星艦發射。

Musk said during last year’s event that the antenna would be about five or six meters on one side or roughly 25 square meters. He noted that the Starlink V2 Mini satellites would need to work as a holdover solution, if Starship were “delayed longer than expected,” which turned out to be the case.

馬斯克在去年的活動中表示，天線一側長約五到六米，約 25 平方米。他指出，如果 Starship「延遲的時間比預期長」（事實證明確實如此），則 Starlink V2 Mini 衛星將需要作為保留解決方案。

The six direct-to-cell satellites along with the 15 regular Starlink V2 Minis will launch aboard a Falcon 9 rocket with a brand new first stage booster. Following stage separation, the booster will land on the droneship, “Of Course I Still Love You” out in the Pacific Ocean.

這六顆直接到小區的衛星以及 15 顆常規星鏈 V2 迷你衛星將搭載帶有全新第一級助推器的獵鷹 9 號火箭發射。級分離後，助推器將降落在太平洋上的「當然我仍然愛你」無人機上。

Based on the photo published by SpaceX, the payload fairings that are housing the Starlink satellites are flight proven, but the company didn’t state prior to launch how many missions they’ve flown.

根據 SpaceX 發布的照片​​，容納星鏈衛星的有效載荷整流罩已經過飛行驗證，但該公司在發射前沒有說明它們已經執行了多少任務。