Since it opened for business in 2021, Starlink has grown like Topsy(疯长，一发不可收拾). The satellite-internet service offered by Elon Musk’s SpaceX has signed up more than 12m individual subscribers, as well as a clutch of(一批，一群) airlines and shipping firms. It also plays a crucial—and changing—role in the Ukraine war. More recently it has signed deals with big network operators such as T-Mobile in America to enable Starlink’s satellites to connect directly to their customers’ mobile phones, providing service in places outside the reach of(在……覆盖范围之外) land-based(陆基的，地面上的) phone masts.
星链自2021年投入商用以来，发展势头一发不可收拾。埃隆·马斯克的SpaceX推出的这项卫星互联网服务，已吸引逾1200万个人用户，还签下了一批航空公司和航运企业。它在乌克兰战争中扮演着关键且不断变化的角色。最近，它又与美国T-Mobile等大型网络运营商达成协议，让星链卫星直接连接这些运营商客户的手机，从而在陆基手机基站覆盖不到的地方提供服务。
Mr Musk has yet bigger ambitions for the service. On October 8th SpaceX confirmed what many observers had long suspected: it will build a fully fledged mobile-phone network that will compete directly with those run by big incumbents.(10月8日，SpaceX证实了许多观察人士长期以来的猜测：它将自建一个成熟的移动通信网络，直接与大型现有运营商展开竞争。) Markets seemed to take the idea seriously. The share prices of the three biggest American mobile operators—T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon—fell sharply after the announcement. For now, the threat to their business is modest. But Mr Musk is betting that, in the roboticised future he envision(设想，展望)s, Starlink will play a vital role.
马斯克对这项服务还有更大的野心。10月8日，SpaceX证实了许多观察人士长期以来的猜测：它将自建一个成熟的移动通信网络，直接与大型现有运营商展开竞争。市场似乎认真对待了这一想法。消息公布后，美国三大移动运营商——T-Mobile、AT&T和Verizon——的股价大幅下跌。目前，它们业务受到的威胁还不大。但马斯克押注的是：在他设想的机器人化未来，星链将扮演至关重要的角色。
Although precise details are scant(缺乏的，不足的), SpaceX’s plan seems to have three components. The first is to launch even more satellites. In its announcement, SpaceX said it had received approval from the Federal Communications Commission, an American regulator, to fly up to 15,000 satellites specifically designed to beam(传输，定向发送) voice calls and data to smartphones on the ground.
尽管确切细节不多，但SpaceX的计划似乎包含三个部分。第一部分是发射更多卫星。SpaceX在公告中表示，已获得美国监管机构联邦通信委员会的批准，可发射最多1.5万颗专为向地面智能手机传输语音通话和数据而设计的卫星。
Cosmic ambition
宇宙级的野心