SpaceX selects Qualcomm Dragonwing platform to build a nationwide 5G network in the U.S. for Starlink Mobile

SpaceX has selected Qualcomm’s Dragonwing cellular infrastructure platform to power Starlink Mobile’s nationwide U.S. terrestrial 5G network, using the QRU100 and QDU100 platforms with Massive MIMO and commercial-grade Layer 1 software to improve coverage, capacity and spectral efficiency. Under the multi-year agreement, SpaceX plans to begin nationwide deployment in 2027 and build tens of thousands of base stations, with Starlink Mobile adopting 64T64R Massive MIMO radio units to boost capacity and energy efficiency. Qualcomm framed the deal as a commercial step toward the two companies’ vision of AI-native 6G infrastructure, while the current deployment remains focused on terrestrial 5G. The partnership matters because it ties Starlink’s satellite ambitions to a major U.S. ground-network buildout and gives Qualcomm a flagship infrastructure customer. What to watch next is the pace of SpaceX’s 2027 rollout and how the terrestrial 5G plan complements Starlink’s direct-to-cell efforts.