SpaceX has named Qualcomm Technologies as the supplier of core infrastructure for its planned Starlink Mobile terrestrial 5G network in the US.
The nationwide US network will be powered by Qualcomm’s Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure. This hardware architecture will use the Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 platforms, combined with commercial-grade Layer 1 software.
The resulting configuration is designed to enable high-capacity Massive MIMO radio and baseband technology, as well as power-efficient processing, supporting large-scale deployment of cellular base stations for the Starlink Mobile service.
SpaceX intends to commence deployment of the nationwide terrestrial 5G network in 2027.
Under a multi-year agreement, the company plans to install tens of thousands of sites across the US.
Starlink senior vice president Michael Nicolls said: “Starlink is building the first fully-integrated nationwide satellite and terrestrial network that will keep people connected no matter where they are.
“We’re excited to collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies and leverage their industry expertise and platform to accelerate our timeline to develop our base station end-to-end architecture.”
The Starlink Mobile network will feature Massive MIMO radio units with 64 transmit and 64 receive paths, intended to increase coverage, capacity, and spectral efficiency. The architecture aims to help manage higher volumes of traffic efficiently.
Qualcomm has outlined that its Dragonwing QRU100 platform will handle processing requirements for the Massive MIMO radio units, while the QDU100 platform will support high-performance, latency-sensitive Layer 1 processing.
According to the company, the combination is built to deliver improved performance per watt, which could help reduce energy costs and support economic deployment of the network on a large scale.
While the current focus is on terrestrial 5G connectivity, both companies have indicated that the energy-efficient and flexible design of the infrastructure could support future developments in connectivity and network intelligence.
Starlink’s planned network rollout marks a commercial step towards a joint vision for AI-native 6G infrastructure, according to the companies.
Qualcomm technology planning, edge solutions, and data centre executive vice president and general manager Durga Malladi said: “Together with SpaceX, we are building world-leading cellular infrastructure in the US, advancing 5G today, with an opportunity to lay the foundation for AI-native 6G in the years ahead.”
Separately, Goldman Sachs and Apollo Global Management are in discussions with investors to sell portions of an approximately $40bn financing deal intended for SpaceX’s AI chips, reported Bloomberg News.
According to the report, the companies have started offering stakes of up to $500m to some investors before the formal syndication process begins.
