SpaceX is moving closer to its vision of a worldwide satellite-based internet network fueled by thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). This week, SpaceX is launching the first experimental satellites for its proposed satellite network, first announced by CEO Elon Musk in 2015.

In a flight scheduled for Wednesday morning, the private space exploration and technology company will oversee the launch of one of its Falcon 9 rocket carrying the first prototypes of satellite internet probes with which the company plans to offer worldwide satellite-based internet. Taking off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Falcon 9 will also be carrying Hisdesat's PAZ, a satellite designed for the Spanish government.

The launch of the two demo satellites---called Microsat-2a and Microsat-2b---signals SpaceX's first major public steps in its satellite constellation project, called Starlink. According to regulatory filings made by SpaceX in 2017, if granted approval, the company plans to have 12,000 satellites in orbit by the mid-2020s.

SpaceX's ambitious satellite-internet project has gained the endorsement of Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In a statement last week, Pai encouraged his fellow FCC members to approve SpaceX's proposed satellite network, asking them to "[move] to unleash the power of satellite constellations to provide high-speed Internet to rural Americans." Bringing internet service to isolated geographic locations, including remote, rural areas of the U.S., remains a goal in an increasingly connected world.

In urging the commission to approve SpaceX's proposal, the Trump-appointed chairman argued that "it would be the first approval given to an American-based company to provide broadband services using a new generation of low-Earth orbit satellite technologies."

SpaceX faces serious competition in its satellite-internet ambitions from several companies. The company's most prominent competitor in this field is OneWeb, a proposed LEO satellite network of over 640 satellites capable of providing global internet service. In development since 2014, OneWeb is slated to begin service to consumers as early as 2019. OneWeb has already received approval from the FCC to use satellite technology to provide broadband services to consumers in the U.S. Space Norway and Telestat have also earned FCC approval to move forward on similar projects.

The Falcon 9 launch had originally been scheduled for the past weekend. On Saturday, due to additional time needed for final checks, SpaceX announced a delay of the launch until February 21.