The world's first 5G satellite launched by SpaceX

On April 25, SpaceX launched the world's first 5G satellite in low-Earth orbit for Barcelona-based Sateliot in the middle of this month.

The Sateliot_0 satellite, which weighs about 10 kilograms and can provide data relay services in low-Earth orbit, is the first in the Sateliot_X satellite network. Satellite operator Sateliot wants to use the satellite network of more than 250 5G satellites to connect to the Internet of things around the world.

"this is the first time in history that terrestrial cellular communications facilities are seamlessly integrated with satellite connections, and Sateliot is leading this revolution," Sateliot wrote in a statement. The company hopes to fill 85 per cent of the global mobile connectivity gap and envisions the application of satellite networks in a number of areas, including roads, railways, aviation and shipping, which could "affect the efficiency of hundreds of industries".

Sateliot hopes to expand the communication range of connecting devices by connecting the Internet of things to the cohesive network between ground communication facilities and track data relays. The company says networked users can seamlessly switch from terrestrial cellular networks to non-terrestrial 5G satellite networks without the need to purchase any additional hardware such as antennas or modems. In addition, due to the standard roaming protocol provided by Sateliot, they can continue to use existing SIM cards and mobile operators. This paves the way for large-scale adoption of the Internet of things around the world. "

With the first satellite in orbit, Sateliot's sales have exceeded $1.3 billion.

Companies or institutions around the world are developing giant satellite networks. In addition to SpaceX's Star chain Internet satellite, online retailer and web services giant Amazon also plans to launch its own satellite network, the Project Kuiper, from 2024.