The power required to communicate from cell phones to Starlink satellites varies based on the specific communication protocol, distance, and other factors.
Starlink satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which extends from about 160 kilometers (100 miles) to 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) above the Earth’s surface. The Starlink constellation is deployed at an altitude of approximately 550 kilometers (340 miles) above the Earth[1]. Additionally, SpaceX had requested approval for as many as 29,988 Gen2 satellites, with approximately 10,000 in the 525–535 km altitude shells, plus ~20,000 in 340– km altitude shells[2]. The operational altitude for Starlink LEO satellites is around 550 kilometers (340 miles)[2].
The Standard Starlink hardware, including the antenna, router, power supply, and cables, uses 50-75 watts on average, with idle usage at about 20 watts.
The frequencies used for communication between Starlink satellites and the ground terminals, including cell phones, are in the range of 10.7–12.7 GHz for the downlink communication signals[1].
The power requirements for the communication link between Starlink satellites and cell phones is not currently known. The power required for such communication would depend on the specific technical details of the communication system and would typically be determined by the engineers designing the system.
Additionally, Starlink also uses other frequency bands such as the Ka band (27-40GHz), Ku band (12-18GHz), V band (40-75GHz), X band (8-12GHz), and K band (18-27GHz) for various communication purposes[5].
Citations:
[1] https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2023/08/aa46374-23/aa46374-23.html
[2] https://www.rfsafe.com/cell-towers-in-space-spacexs-starlink-direct-to-cell/
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/Starlink/comments/15lqg2k/how_does_spectrum_work_in_space_communication/
[5] https://www.americantv.com/what-frequency-does-starlink-use.php
[6] https://www.ipinternational.net/cellular-vs-satellite-communication/
[7] https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/how-much-power-is-needed-to-communicate-with-a-geostationary-satellite.2412124/
[8] https://www.getgds.com/resources/blog/connectivity/cellular-vs-satellite-understanding-the-differences
[9] https://spectrum.ieee.org/satellite-cellphone
[10] https://x2n.com/network/satellite-vs-cellular/
[11] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/all-power-observable-universe-expressed-milliwatts-onno-benschop
[12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_device_radiation_and_health
[13] https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/55143/is-it-possible-for-leo-satellites-to-detect-a-usable-signal-from-regular-mobile
[14] https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/how-much-power-is-needed-to-communicate-with-a-geostationary-satellite.2412124/
[15] https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/14febj3/eli5_how_does_my_tiny_phone_communicate_with_a/
[16] https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1130/1/012011/pdf
[17] https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg12316724-700/
[18] https://frankrayal.com/2022/08/29/t-mobile-spacex-direct-satellite-to-handset-ser1vice-lots-of-hype-and-little-reality/
[19] https://www.vicorpower.com/resource-library/articles/designing-pdn-for-new-space
[20] https://isp.page/news/understanding-the-orbit-altitude-of-starlink-satellites/
[21] https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/the-newest-and-largest-starlink-satellites-are-also-the-faintest/
[22] https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-satellites.html
