The US Army is testing SpaceX's Starshield laser satellite communications system

US Army reservists have begun testing a new laser satellite communications system, Starshield, developed by SpaceX, NextGenDefense reports, citing DVIDS.

Laser technology provides high-speed data transfer with low latency – up to 25 milliseconds – and download speeds of 300 to 500 megabits per second. The system allows data to be transferred to any device, anywhere in the world.

According to the US military, Starshield is activated through a 5-terabyte global plan that converts Starlink terminals into military Starshields. Compared to traditional satellite terminals, which are 3.7 by 6.1 meters, the new system is compact – about 60 cm on each side. Its design is focused on ease of use: the device is ready to work right out of the box.

Starshield laser terminals allow for rapid signal rerouting between satellites, reducing the risk of loss of communication.

By the way, last month, SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet was massively unavailable around the world, including on the Ukrainian front. As the company later reported, the cause of the failure was a failed software update process.