Shotwell added that the approval request for 30,000 extra satellites didn’t necessarily mean SpaceX would build and launch them all. It needs considerably fewer satellites (about 24 launches’ worth) to cover the planet. Rather, this is overhead that would let SpaceX offer customized service for clients. Elon Musk reiterated at the roundtable that SpaceX was testing encrypted internet services for US Air Force aircraft.

As before, there’s reason for SpaceX to hurry. Amazon is also hoping to deploy broadband satellites, OneWeb is delivering its own vehicles, and Alphabet’s Loon balloons have already seen service. If SpaceX takes too long, it risks losing customers to rivals that would be more than happy to fill the gap.

Musk further noted that the launch timing was variable, but was “currently tracking” to May 15th (he also raised the possibility of a May 14th takeoff). He warned that “much will likely go wrong” on this first deployment, and that it would take six more similar launches to achieve “minor” broadband coverage, and twice that for “moderate.”

SpaceX’s ultimate goal is to put nearly 11,000 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit between now and the mid-2020s, providing high-speed internet access to areas of the planet where broadband is rare, spotty or non-existent. This first launch is really just a small part of a long process, and that’s provided everything goes according to plan.