Elon Musk: SpaceX to Provide Connectivity Across the Entire Solar System and Beyond
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stated that SpaceX will provide connectivity across the entire solar system and beyond. This statement was made while sharing an internal ambitious outline, without any launch timeline or contracts attached.
The shared outline came from SpaceX's Michael Nicolls. He mentioned that a constellation will connect the Moon first, followed by Mars. The goal is to extend consciousness beyond this planet and connect the Moon and Mars. Prior to this, Starlink is working on technology to connect the Moon using extremely high bandwidth laser connections.
The lunar constellation and Mars connection are described as part of the same interstellar grid. The driving technology is what Starlink is currently using, not a separate deep space radio system. Nicolls emphasized the need to improve safety in low Earth orbit first, allowing all parties to operate and expand safely before extending connectivity and human presence to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The existing scale of ground networks remains in low Earth orbit. SpaceX has stated on its safety page that it plans to operate up to 100,000 Starlink satellites and up to 1 million Starmind AI satellites to meet broadband and supercomputing demands. Currently, there are slightly over 11,000 Starlink satellites in orbit. Starmind is described as an orbital computing constellation, with about 10 satellites per cluster, each cluster having a bandwidth of approximately 10 terabits, which then uses lasers to link back to Earth.
There have been more specific proposals for deep space bandwidth. In November 2024, SpaceX proposed Marslink to NASA, indicating that the Mars-Earth link could exceed 4 megabits per second. In May 2026, Starlink publicly stated it was exploring extending connectivity beyond Earth. NASA's existing deep space network consists of a few large ground antennas, which are not designed for high bandwidth required for long-term lunar presence.
This is a statement of intent, not a new spectrum auction. The buyers are government missions and future users needing lunar and Mars links, while the sellers are existing channels that still rely on deep space network ground stations to allocate time slots. The beneficiaries are SpaceX, which is reusing laser inter-satellite links from low Earth orbit to the Moon. The parties under pressure are other operators that must coexist with 100,000 satellites in low Earth orbit, with safety measures addressing collision and maneuver coordination before venturing beyond the solar system.
Source: Public Information
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SpaceX's connectivity business began with the Starlink application around 2015, with the first test satellites launched in 2019 and charging users from 2020. Inter-satellite lasers have reduced reliance on ground stations for traffic. The November 2024 proposal to NASA for Marslink indicated that the Mars-Earth link could exceed 4 megabits per second. In May 2026, Starlink publicly announced plans to extend beyond Earth. Musk has now consolidated Nicolls' lunar constellation, Mars, and beyond into a company commitment.
The resource order is outlined in low Earth orbit. The safety page's goal is to have up to 100,000 Starlink satellites and up to 1 million Starmind satellites, with slightly over 11,000 Starlink satellites currently in orbit. Starmind clusters are organized with about 10 satellites each, providing approximately 10 terabits of computing power, with lasers sending results back to the ground. Nicolls stated that the high bandwidth for the Moon uses the same laser technology, not a new deep space antenna network. Funding is initially from user subscriptions and computing payloads, with no separate pricing for the lunar constellation.
In contrast, NASA's deep space network allocates time slots for Mars probes using a few large ground antennas, while Amazon's Kuiper is still supplementing its low Earth orbit constellation. The industry position is to first increase density and safety in low Earth orbit before extending the same laser grid outward. Human presence on the Moon and Mars remains a later consideration. Connectivity is prioritized over human arrival.
Structurally, this represents a reconstruction of the industry chain. Deep space communication was originally priced based on time slots from ground antennas. Starlink has changed the pricing unit to the number of satellites, laser links, and bandwidth within clusters. If solar system coverage occurs, it will reuse technology already charged in low Earth orbit, not another spectrum license. Other operators are under pressure regarding orbital safety, not immediately losing lunar users. The grid has not yet been built, with the premise stated as first ensuring safe expansion in low Earth orbit.
ABAB News · Cognitive Law
First occupy low Earth orbit, then discuss the solar system.
The same laser is used, with distance changing rather than the product.
Connectivity can arrive before humans.