A Visionary Project in an Innovative Region
Elon Musk – the name says it all. This visionary businessman is known across the world for his spectacular ideas. His latest project is to make high-speed satellite Internet available around the world. He’s counting on Hessen to make this happen, and has established the German HQ for Starlink in Frankfurt am Main.
The Starlink project is part of Musk’s SpaceX Group. Roughly 900 satellites have already been launched into space as part of the venture – and several thousand more are set to follow. The aim is for the satellites to relay the signals to one another and then pass them on to the end users. The company has been in the test phase in the USA for several weeks. Now it’s Germany’s turn – and the work will be managed from Frankfurt. “We’ll be starting in Germany before the end of the year if everything goes according to plan," said Starlink manager Hans Königsmann in an interview with German news magazine Wirtschaftswoche. Starlink has already registered with Germany’s Federal Network Agency as a telecommunications provider and is waiting for final approval, he added. And two ground stations are already being constructed to communicate with the satellites. Königsmann also underlined that Germany is an ideal market. Frankfurt’s Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann welcomed the project. Writing on Twitter, he said that it demonstrates “the Rhine-Main area’s international importance,” adding: “And what is good for one city in this innovative region benefits them all.”