Advanced Television

elon musk

Starlink exceeds 2m customers

SpaceX’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite service has reported that it now has more than 2 million “active customers and counting” in over 60 countries – double the number from just nine months ago. Some observers have asked ‘what is an active customer?’ and questioned why Starlink doesn’t use the commonplace description of a paying ‘subscriber’. However, Starlink […]

September 25, 2023By Chris Forrester

Are LEO operators risking too much?

Once upon a time there were many would-be alternative cellular carriers expecting to tap into the world’s seemingly insatiable demand for bandwidth. Names such as WorldCom, Global Crossing and Teledesic each raised billions, and flew too close to the sun during the so-called Tech Boom, and each ended in bankruptcy. The problem is that the […]

September 20, 2023

SpaceX to launch Starship in October?

Second-guessing when Elon Musk’s massive Starship might launch is a challenge. The FAA set more than 60 modifications to the rocket before it would give permission to launch. There are potential problems from other US agencies, not least those involved in protecting the local environment at the Boca Chica launch site in South Texas. There […]

September 19, 2023

FAA to Musk: “Starship must first be fixed”

The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has given SpaceX a list of 63 tasks that must be carried out before the new Starship rocket can be launched. Elon Musk has Tweeted that the rocket is ready for launch. On the upside, the FAA has closed its investigation as to what went wrong on the Starship’s first […]

September 11, 2023

SpaceX breaks 2022 launch record

SpaceX has passed its 2022 record of 61 launches of its Falcon 9 rockets. September 3rd saw that record easily broken and another flight added to the 57 Falcon 9’s launched, plus three Falcon ‘Heavy’ rockets and one Starship during the year to date. SpaceX lofted its 62nd mission this year on September 3rd (at […]

September 5, 2023

SpaceX profitable in Q1

A set of preliminary accounts for SpaceX shows that “soaring revenues” helped Elon Musk’s rocket and broadband company to a modest profit in Q1 2023, according to the WSJ. The report says SpaceX achieved $55 million (€50.6m) in profits on $1.5 billion of revenues in Q1. Over the previous two years, SpaceX has invested huge […]

August 18, 2023By Chris Forrester

Azerbaijan minister meets Musk

Azerbaijani Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, has met with Elon Musk at the Tesla Giga factory in Austin, Texas. The two discussed the opening up of Azerbaijan for Starlink broadband equipment as well as launches of Azerbaijani satellites on SpaceX rockets. On May 9th Azercosmos announced that it has entered into an […]

August 14, 2023By Chris Forrester

Meta set to launch Twitter rival

Meta, owner of Facebook, has announced it will its new app to rival Twitter on July 6th. The new social media app, called Threads, is already available for pre-order on the Apple App Store, and will be linked to Instagram. Meta describes Threads as a “text based conversation app […] where communities come together to […]

July 4, 2023

SpaceX planning IPO?

A report on Fox News, citing comments “from SpaceX investors” says an IPO from Elon Musk’s Starlink broadband-by-satellite operation is expected “this year”. The comments are far from fanciful, and Musk has frequently commented about a likely IPO either for SpaceX itself or Starlink, but has always finished his comments by saying “but not yet”. […]

June 22, 2023By Chris Forrester

Twitter plans smart TV video app

Twitter owner Elon Musk has confirmed plans for a Twitter video app on smart TVs. Responding to a tweet suggesting that: “We really need a Twitter video app for Smart TVs”, Musk replied: ”It’s coming”, without revealing any further details. On June 15th, during an investor presentation, new Twitter CEO, Linda Yaccarino, and Musk laid […]

June 19, 2023By Colin Mann