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

猎鹰 9 号火箭随时准备支持范登堡太空部队基地的星链 7-9 任务。该任务还包括前六颗卫星，将用于该公司的直接到蜂窝服务。图片：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).

美国东部时间凌晨 1:13 更新：SpaceX 将发射推迟到周五晚上 9:19。太平洋标准时间（美国东部时间上午 12:19，世界标准时间 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 希望通过在加州发射猎鹰 9 号火箭，从一周失败的发射中恢复过来。 Starlink 7-9 任务将包括另一批 21 颗卫星前往近地轨道，这几乎已成为该公司的例行公事。

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，周五深夜的任务是独一无二的，因为它将包括前六颗具有直接到蜂窝功能的星链卫星。 SpaceX 表示，这项新功能“将使世界各地的移动网络运营商能够在陆地、湖泊或沿海水域上提供无缝的全球短信、通话和浏览服务。”

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.

支持此次任务的猎鹰 9 号火箭的升空目标是在晚上 9 点 19 分开启发射窗口。太平洋标准时间（美国东部时间上午 12:19，世界标准时间 0519）。 Spaceflight Now 将在升空前约 30 分钟开始对此次任务进行现场报道。

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.

这种针对 Starlink 网络的直接到小区的承诺是 SpaceX 创始人埃隆·马斯克 (Elon Musk) 在 2022 年 8 月与 T-Mobile 首席执行官兼总裁迈克·西弗特 (Mike Sievert) 在德克萨斯州 Starbase 举行的一次活动中宣布的承诺的开始。

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

马斯克将这种能力描述为“巨大的游戏规则改变者”，甚至可以消除世界上最偏远地区的盲区。

“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.”

“这确实是一件大事，”马斯克在演讲中说道。 “即使整个地区或国家由于严重的飓风、洪水、火灾、龙卷风、地震而失去连接……即使所有的手机信号塔都被拆除，你的手机仍然可以使用。”

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.”

根据 2023 年 11 月 30 日发送给美国联邦通信委员会 (FCC) 卫星许可部门代理处长凯瑟恩·梅德利 (Kathyrn Medley) 的电子邮件，SpaceX 预计在未来 6 个月内发射“约 840 颗具有直接接入蜂窝能力的卫星，其中该时期之后还会继续进行更多发射。”

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 卫星政策总监、电子邮件作者 Jameson Dempsey 写道，计划中和未来的发射将“确保我们能够及时发射足够数量的卫星，以便在 2024 年晚些时候提供商业服务。”

“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，虽然我们知道委员会可能会将我们的实验权限限制在我们预计在未来 6 个月内发射和测试的卫星上，但我们要求发射许可证在我们的直接到小区修改申请中包含所有 7500 颗卫星的权限”，邓普西写道。

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 月的活动中指出，美国即将推出的服务将使用现有的 T-Mobile 中频 PCS 频谱。

“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.”

西弗特说：“这使我们能够共同努力，将其奉献给星链运营的星座，以便我们能够看到来自全国各个角落的这些卫星。” “如果你能清楚地看到天空，我们的愿景就是让你保持联系。”

“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.”

“你的手机不知道它正在连接到太空。它会扫描其家庭网络，也会扫描地面漫游合作伙伴，”Sievert 补充道。 “如果它看不到这些东西，它会再次扫描，并连接到来自卫星的授权连接，它会认为它已连接到手机信号塔，因为该手机正在使用行业标准技术通信协议，并且它具有频谱已经内置。至少，当今流通的绝大多数手机都是如此。”

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，除了作为美国服务提供商的 T-Mobile 之外，它还与澳大利亚、加拿大、日本、新西兰和瑞士的公司合作。

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.

最初的计划是使用 Starlink V2 卫星启动该服务，该卫星最终可能仍会托管大部分在轨天线。然而，由于它们的体积，它们需要使用星舰发射。

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.

马斯克在去年的活动中表示，天线一侧长约五六米，即约 25 平方米。他指出，如果 Starship“延迟的时间比预期长”（事实证明确实如此），则 Starlink V2 Mini 卫星将需要作为保留解决方案。

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.

这六颗直接到小区的卫星以及 15 颗常规星链 V2 迷你卫星将搭载带有全新第一级助推器的猎鹰 9 号火箭发射。级分离后，助推器将降落在太平洋上的“当然我仍然爱你”无人机上。

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.

根据 SpaceX 发布的照片​​，容纳星链卫星的有效载荷整流罩已经过飞行验证，但该公司在发射前没有说明它们已经执行了多少次任务。