# Solstar
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solstar
> Source revision: 1298659557
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{{infobox company
| name = Solstar Space Co.
| logo = Solstar_logo.svg
| founded = March 2017
| hq_location_city = [Santa Fe](/source/Santa_Fe%2C_New_Mexico), [New Mexico](/source/New_Mexico)
| founders = M. Brian Barnett (Founder), [Michael Potter](/source/Michael_Potter_(entrepreneur)) and Mark Matossian (Co-founders)
| key_people = M. Brian Barnett (CEO)
Mark Matossian (COO)[{{cite news |title=Commercial space travelers will soon be able to send a tweet from space |url=https://www.foxnews.com/tech/commercial-space-travelers-will-soon-be-able-to-send-a-tweet-from-space |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Fox News}}]
| num_employees = 11 (July 2018)
| website = https://www.solstarspace.com/
}}
'''Solstar Space Co.''', also known as '''Solstar''', is an American company that provides commercial [wireless internet](/source/wireless_internet) services to [space travel](/source/Spaceflight)ers and [Internet of Things](/source/Internet_of_Things) in space. It also provides a two-way internet link connecting people on earth to technology in space.[{{Cite web|last=Talton|first=Remington Tonar and Ellis|title=To Commercialize Space We Need To Build Infrastructure, Not Just Launch Rockets|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellistalton/2018/12/10/to-commercialize-space-we-need-to-build-infrastructure-not-just-launch-rockets/|access-date=2020-10-04|website=Forbes|language=en}}] Based out of [Santa Fe](/source/Santa_Fe%2C_New_Mexico), [New Mexico](/source/New_Mexico), the company was founded in March 2017.
== History ==
Solstar was founded by [M. Brian Barnett](/source/M._Brian_Barnett) in March 2017, with [Michael Potter](/source/Michael_Potter_(entrepreneur)) and Mark Matossian as co-founders.[{{Cite web|last=Robinson-Avila|first=Kevin|date=|title=Solstar flying higher on WeFunder investments|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1194124/solstar-riding-on-wefunder.html|access-date=2020-10-04|website=www.abqjournal.com|language=en-US}}][{{Cite web|last=Werner|first=Debra|date=2016-12-05|title=An Earth-to-LEO comms revolution in the making|url=http://www.spacenewsmag.com/feature/an-earth-to-leo-comms-revolution-in-the-making/|access-date=2020-10-04|website=|language=en}}] Prior to this, Barnett had developed an initial design of a communication system which was used to successfully transmit the first-ever commercial [text message](/source/text_message) from earth to space in November 2013,[{{cite news |title=Internet service at a spaceship near you |url=https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/money/business/2016/11/26/internet-service-spaceship-near-you/94478412/ |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Las Cruces Sun News}}][{{cite news |title=Santa Fe business trying to bring Wi-Fi to space |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/business/santa-fe-business-trying-to-bring-wi-fi-to-space/article_7b853b10-1e5d-5f57-945f-ad4ae3cf0061.html |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Santa Fe New Mexican}}] with students from [Albuquerque](/source/Albuquerque%2C_New_Mexico) sending 16 messages to a device aboard a [UP Aerospace](/source/UP_Aerospace) rocket[{{cite news |title=SF's Solstar pioneers space-to-Earth communication |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1129055/sfs-solstar-pioneers-spacetoearth-communications.html |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Albuquerque Journal}}][{{cite news |title=Albuquerque students send text messages to space |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/299921/students-send-text-messages-to-space.html |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Albuquerque Journal}}] launched from [Spaceport America](/source/Spaceport_America).[{{cite news |title=Solstar seeks strategic investor for WiFi in Space |url=https://spacenews.com/solstar-seeks-strategic-investor/ |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Space News}}][{{cite news |title=Solstar plans give space payloads access to the internet |url=https://spacenews.com/solstar-plans-give-blue-origin-payloads-access-to-the-internet/ |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Space News}}][{{cite news |title=Exclusive: Santa Fe tech firm strikes a deal with NASA |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/news/2017/06/23/exclusivesanta-fe-tech-firm-strikes-a-deal-with.html |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Bizjournals (Albuquerque Business First)}}] The company also signed a [Space Act Agreement](/source/Space_Act_Agreement) with NASA to test [WiFi](/source/WiFi) technologies in space.[{{cite news |title=Solstar Space Company: The first commercial Wi-Fi in space |url=https://wefunder.com/solstar.space.company |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Wefunder}}][{{cite news |title=Test of Satellite Communications Systems on-board Suborbital Platforms to Provide Low-Cost Data Communications for Research Payloads, Payload Operators, and Space Vehicle Operators |url=https://flightopportunities.nasa.gov/technologies/95/ |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=nasa.gov}}][{{Cite web|last=Gibbs|first=Yvonne|date=2018-05-01|title=Wi-Fi in Space, Spacecraft Technologies Launched on Blue Origin Rocket|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/feature/wifi_space_spacecraft_technologies_Blue_Origin_Rocket|access-date=2020-10-04|website=NASA}}] which was launched from the Blue Origin's launch facility near [Van Horn, Texas](/source/Van_Horn%2C_Texas),[{{Cite web|last=Mishra|first=Gourav|date=2018-02-05|title=Here's everything you need to know about Solstar's communicator which will connect space to Earth|url=https://www.ibtimes.co.in/heres-everything-you-need-know-about-solstars-communicator-which-will-connect-space-earth-759487|access-date=2020-10-04|website=International Business Times, India Edition|language=english}}] and reached a height of 66 miles.[{{Cite web|title=How Humans Will Bring the Internet to Space|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-humans-will-bring-the-internet-to-space/|access-date=2020-10-04|website=Vice.com|date=3 July 2019 |language=en}}] The test was successful, with the founder Barnett using the on-flight internet connection to send out a [tweet](/source/Twitter). The project's {{USD}}2 million cost was partly funded by NASA as part of its Flight Opportunities program.[{{cite news |title=Space Wi-Fi startup aims to raise $1M via crowdfunding investment site |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/business/space-wi-fi-startup-aims-to-raise-m-via-crowdfunding/article_ad343c52-9bb8-5f89-8790-a27fdf39421e.html |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Santa Fe New Mexican}}][{{cite news |title=Selfies from space? Blue Origin rocket tests secret 'space communicator' for orbital tourists |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/the-national-today-newsletter-wifi-space-afghanistan-isis-1.4641253 |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=CBC}}][{{cite news |title=New Mexico firm hopes to offer Wi-Fi for space travelers |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/new-mexico-firm-hopes-to-offer-wi-fi-for-space-travelers/ |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=The Seattle Times}}] The device is named after [Harrison Schmitt](/source/Harrison_Schmitt), one of the last men to walk on the Moon and Solstar's adviser.[{{cite news |title=Outer space gets its first Wi-Fi-based ISP |url=https://wifinowevents.com/news-and-blog/outer-space-gets-its-first-isp/ |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Wi-Fi NOW}}] It conducted a second successful test in July 2018, with the flight reaching a peak height of 73.8 miles above sea level.[{{cite news |title=Santa Fe startup calls Wi-Fi space launch test a success |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/life/tech/santa-fe-startup-calls-wi-fi-space-launch-test-a/article_a3ecfc7f-134f-5998-a6be-1385c79d919d.html |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Santa Fe New Mexican}}][{{cite news |title=NM firm's WiFi technology takes second suborbital flight |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1198101/nm-firms-wifi-technology-takes-second-suborbital-flight.html |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=Albuquerque Journal}}][{{cite news |title=Solstar Space Tests Commercial Wi-Fi System During Launch |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-mexico/articles/2018-08-05/solstar-space-tests-commercial-wi-fi-system-during-launch |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=U.S. News & World Report}}] The device was accepted to the [Smithsonian](/source/Smithsonian_Institution) [National Air and Space Museum's](/source/National_Air_and_Space_Museum) collection.[{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2019-11-16|title=MSUA Member Interview {{!}} Brian Barnett, Founder & CEO, Solstar Space|url=https://www.msua.org/post/2019/11/15/msua-member-interview-brian-barnett-founder-ceo-solstar-space|access-date=2020-10-04|website=msua|language=en}}][{{Cite web|title=That Space Podcast: Solstar Space Co. CEO Brian Barnett|url=https://thatspacepodcast.libsyn.com/wifi-in-space-with-brian-barnett|access-date=2020-10-04|website=thatspacepodcast.libsyn.com|language=en}}]
The April 2018 test footage was featured in a short documentary, ''The Digital Nomad and the Scientist'', detailing the first commercial WiFi service in space. The film was directed by Maclovia Martel and Kristina Korsholm with [Michael Potter](/source/Michael_Potter_(entrepreneur)) as the executive producer.[{{Citation|title=The Digital Nomad and the Scientist - IMDb|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt10041180/|access-date=2020-10-04}}] The documentary was selected for the Independent Filmmakers Showcase (May 2019)[{{Cite web|title=May 18 - IFS 2019|url=https://www.ifsfilm.com/Schedule2019/may18.php|access-date=2020-10-04|website=www.ifsfilm.com}}] in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles) and got shortlisted to the Ekko Shortlist ([Denmark](/source/Denmark), 2020).[{{Citation|title=Ekko Shortlist præsenterer: The Digital Nomad and the Scientist|url=https://www.ekkofilm.dk/shortlist/film/the-digital-nomad-and-the-scientist/|language=da|access-date=2020-10-04}}]
=== Funding ===
In June 2018, Solstar sought [Securities and Exchange Commission](/source/Securities_and_Exchange_Commission)'s approval to raise investment capital through the crowdfunding platform [Wefunder](/source/Wefunder).[{{cite news |title=New Mexico tech firm hopes to launch an internet connection for space-flight startups' eventual first passengers |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/nation-world/2018/07/06/new-mexico-tech-firm/ |accessdate=April 29, 2019 |work=The Salt Lake Tribune}}] The astronaut [Charles D. Walker](/source/Charles_D._Walker), who flew on three Space Shuttle flights, joined Solstar as an adviser.