(FORTUNE)—According to CNBC, SpaceX's Vice President of Satellite Government Affairs Patricia Cooper said Wednesday that the company will begin testing on the satellites later this year. Cooper also said that a prototype will be launched before next year and another again in early 2018. He added that SpaceX wants to begin launching the actual satellite system in 2019.
Musk's company previously filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to launch the satellite system but provided few details on how it would be rolled out.
"Once fully deployed, the SpaceX System will pass over virtually all parts of the Earth's surface and therefore, in principle, have the ability to provide ubiquitous global service," the FCC application reads. "Every point on the Earth's surface will see, at all times, a SpaceX satellite....
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- SpaceX Just Laid out a Plan to Give Everyone Internet Access • Futurism
- SpaceX plans to launch first satellite prototype for its Internet constellation this year • Los Angeles Times
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