A lot of discussion is going on about different plans for in-space communications when Starship, in combination with Starlink, radically changes this - and makes it much simpler and cheaper.
One variant of Starship is designed to deploy the next-gen Starlink satellites. This same variant can be used to deploy Starlink around the Moon (Moonlink) and Mars (Marslink).
Only one Starship will carry enough satellites to achieve a suitable network in both places.
Starlink around Earth (which should maybe be called Earthlink) is already changing space comms. SpaceX rockets using Starlink as their communication network, and it has been tested in space with crewed flights which has proven its effectiveness as a suitable comms system.
Modern space equipment like space suits and rovers are being designed to run on 4G/LTE networks so it would be good to get Moonlink and Marslink in place sooner to prepare for this.
A Moonlink Starship can fly to the Moon, deploy the satellites and return to LEO. Therefore no special considerations are needed. If the network needs to be expanded or older satellites need replacing then it’s a simple mission to do this.
To deploy Marslink, the ship would probably not return. It could either remain in Mars orbit and be set up as an Earth relay station, or be used as a test landing ship. There are many advantages of sending this as one of the first five Mars Starships in 2026 so lets wait and see.
Starlink is proven and easily deployable, which means high speed networks could be in place soon.
Next . . .
Part 5 looks at how Starship radically changes our view of space stations.