By Oluwatunmise Omoseyin
STMicroelectronics has shipped more than 5 billion radio frequency antenna chips to Elon Musk’s SpaceX for use in the Starlink satellite internet network.
Remi El Ouazzane, the president of STMicro’s microcontrollers and digital integrated circuits division, in an interview, stated that shipments linked to Starlink could double within the next two years and that Starlink’s technology is likely to be adopted widely across the industry;
The past 10 years of user terminals in terms of volume could actually double over the next two years. I expect many lower-orbit satellite players to leverage the technology – El Ouazzane
The chips supplied by STMicro are radio frequency front end modules used in Starlink user terminals. They are designed to handle high data speeds and operate reliably in tough space conditions. STMicro has been working with SpaceX since around 2015, supplying components as Starlink expanded into a global satellite internet service.
Starlink currently operates in more than 150 markets worldwide and serves around 8 million users, according to information published on its website. The network relies on thousands of low Earth orbit satellites to deliver broadband internet, particularly in areas with limited traditional connectivity.
The space sector is moving from government led projects towards commercial networks. Companies such as SpaceX, OneWeb, Eutelsat and Amazon are investing heavily in low Earth orbit satellite systems, thereby increasing the demand for specialised chips that supports high data rates and withstand extreme environments.
The company is also working with European partners including Thales and Eutelsat on projects like the Iris 2 satellite constellation by the European Union.
