The deployment of the first 1,440 satellites will be into 72 orbital planes of 20 satellites each,[8] with a requested lower minimum elevation angle of beams to improve reception: 25° rather than the 40° of the other two orbital shells.[9]:17 SpaceX launched the first 60 satellites of the constellation in May 2019 into a 450km (280mi) orbit and expected up to six launches in 2019 at that time, with 720 satellites (12 × 60) for continuous coverage in 2020.[10][11]
In August 2019, SpaceX expected four more launches in 2019[12] and at least nine launches in 2020,[13] but since January 2020 expectations had increased to 24 total launches in 2020.[14]
In March 2020, SpaceX reported producing six satellites per day.[15]
SpaceX also plans to launch Starlink satellites on Starship, a rocket with a much larger payload capacity that is under development.[16]
In February 2021, Musk stated that the satellites are traveling on 25 orbital planes clustered between 53° north and south of the equator.[17]
Two test satellites known as Tintin A and B[22] (MicroSat-2a and 2b) that were deployed as co-payloads to the Paz satellite. As of 1September2020[update], the orbits have decayed and both satellites have reentered the atmosphere.[23][24][25]
First launch of 60 Starlink test satellites.[30] Said to be "production design", these are used to test various aspects of the network, including deorbiting.[31] They do not yet have the planned satellite interlink capabilities and they only communicate with antennas on Earth. A day after launch an amateur astronomer in the Netherlands was one of the first to publish a video showing the satellites flying across the sky as a "train" of bright lights.[32] By five weeks post launch, 57 of the 60 satellites had been "healthy" while 3 were non-operational and derelict, but deorbited due to atmospheric drag.[33] All working satellites were intentionally deorbited by May 2021,[34] and all remaining failed spacecraft re-entered by October 2022.[35]
First launch of Starlink "operational" satellites (v1.0),[37] with an increased mass of 260kg each and included Ka-band antennas.[38] Satellites were released in a circular orbit at around 290km altitude, from which the satellites raised their altitude by themselves.
One of the satellites, dubbed DarkSat,[40] has an experimental coating to make it less reflective, and to reduce the impact on ground-based astronomical observations.[41]
BlackSky Global 7 and 8, the 5th and 6th BlackSky Global satellites, launched as rideshare payloads.[48] All of the Starlink satellites are outfitted with the sunshade visor that was tested on a single satellite on 4 June 2020 launch.[49]
Part of Transporter-2 (SmallSat Rideshare Mission 2).[69] Second launch of production Starlink and first launch of 3 prototype Starlink v1.5 satellites to polar orbits.
First launch of operational Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base, and first launch into a high-inclination, non-SSO orbit. Musk stated that the operational satellites were version 1.5 and featured "laser inter-satellite links, which are needed for high latitudes and mid-ocean coverage".[71]
On 4 February 2022, the satellites deployed on this mission were significantly impacted by a G2-ratedgeomagnetic storm. The satellites were commanded into a safe-mode, but increased atmospheric drag prevented the satellites from leaving safe-mode to begin manoeuvering from the low deployment altitude to an operational orbit. On 8 February 2022, SpaceX confirmed that up to 40 of the 49 deployed satellites will reenter or have reentered the Earth's atmosphere.[78][79] By 12 February, 38 satellites had reentered the atmosphere while the remaining 11 continued to raise their orbits.[80]
Starlink 3680 (or Starlink 2022-025P) launched in this stack has maneuvered and moved to Shell 1 of starlink satellites. Possibly some other satellites in this stack will also joining the Shell 1 starlinks in near future.[85]
Heaviest Falcon 9 launch carrying a east-coast Starlink network launch for 53.2° inclination orbit located at 540km altitude. This flight, Group 4-23, was moved from 39A to 40 to de-conflict with Artemis I operations at 39B, and booster B1069.2 from the 4-20 mission was swapped with B1067.6.[102]
Rideshare satellites: Sherpa-LTC2 carried a sole hosted payload will be Boeing's Varuna Technology Demonstration Mission, a pathfinder for a planned constellation of broadband satellites.
Rideshare satellites: ION SCV-009 carries HPS' ADEO-N3, EPFL's Bunny, and StardustMe's SD-1 as hosted payloads.[114][115] ION SCV-009 will deploy a satellite simulator using EBAD's 8" Payload Release Ring.
First launch of larger, upgraded Starlink V2 Mini satellites with four times the bandwidth of previous models. First use of an Argon-fueled Hall-effect thruster in space, with higher thrust and specific impulse and much lower propellant cost than SpaceX's previous Krypton-fueled thrusters.[116] With the unknown of when Starship will be able to launch the second generation satellites, SpaceX modified the original V2 blueprint into a smaller, more compact one named “V2 Mini.” This adjustment, allowed Falcon 9 to transport these satellites, though not as many, into orbit.[117] The first launch of the second satellites occurred on Monday, February 27, 2023 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on SLC-40. Falcon 9 successfully carried 21 of these satellites into orbit later that evening. SpaceX committed to reduce debris by keeping the Starlink tension rods, which hold the V2 mini satellites together, attached to the Falcon 9 second stage. These tension rods were discarded into orbit while launching earlier version of Starlink satellites.[118] Observations confirm these V2 mini satellites host two solar panels like the Starship V2 satellites.[119]
6 The six of the 21 satellites with Direct to Cell[123] capabilities have an advanced modem on board that act as a cellphone tower in space, allowing network integration similar to a standard roaming partner
Likely operational Starshield satellites. Hosts infrared payloads manufactured by Leidos. Launched with 8 York Space Systems-built Transport layer satellites on this mission.[131][132]
Likely operational Starshield satellites. Hosts infrared payloads manufactured by Leidos. Launched with one York Space Systems-built and 10 Lockheed Martin/Tyvak Space Systems-built Transport layer satellites on this mission.[132]
Falcon 9 is a partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle that can carry cargo and crew into Earth orbit, designed, manufactured and launched by American aerospace company SpaceX. It can also be used as an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle. The first Falcon 9 launch was on 4 June 2010. The first Falcon 9 commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) launched on 8 October 2012. In 2020 it became the first commercial rocket to launch humans to orbit and remains the only such vehicle. It is the only U.S. rocket certified for transporting humans to the ISS. In 2022, it became the U.S. rocket with the most launches in history and with the best safety record, having suffered just one flight failure.
Space Launch Complex 4 (SLC-4) is a launch and landing site at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, U.S. It has two pads, both of which are used by SpaceX for Falcon 9, one for launch operations, and the other as Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) for SpaceX landings.
Falcon Heavy is a partially reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle that can carry cargo into Earth orbit, and beyond. It is designed, manufactured and launched by American aerospace company SpaceX.
This article documents notable spaceflight events during the year 2019.
This article documents notable spaceflight events during the year 2018. For the first time since 1990, more than 100 orbital launches were performed globally.
An autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) is an ocean-going vessel derived from a deck barge, outfitted with station-keeping engines and a large landing platform, and is autonomously positioned when on station for a landing. Construction of the drone ships was commissioned by aerospace company SpaceX to allow recovery of launch vehicle boosters at sea for missions that do not carry sufficient fuel to return to the launch site after boosting spacecraft onto an orbital or interplanetary trajectory.
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by Starlink Services, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of American aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to over 70 countries. It also aims to provide global mobile broadband.
This article documents notable spaceflight events during the year 2020.
Falcon 9 Block 5 is a partially reusable two-stage-to-orbit medium-lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured in the United States by SpaceX. It is the fifth version of Falcon 9 Full Thrust, powered by SpaceX Merlin engines burning rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX).
Falcon 9 booster B1058 was a reusable Falcon 9 Block 5 first-stage booster manufactured by SpaceX. B1058 was the first Falcon 9 booster to fly fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen and nineteen times and broke a turnaround record on its later flights. Its first flight was for Crew Dragon Demo-2, the first crewed orbital spaceflight by a private company. The booster was the first and only Falcon 9 booster to feature NASA's worm logo and meatball insignia, which was reintroduced after last being used in 1992. The booster's service ended shortly after its nineteenth successful landing when it toppled over on the droneship due to high winds and rough seas.
Falcon 9 B1060 is a Falcon 9 first-stage booster manufactured and operated by SpaceX. It is the senior active rocket for the company since the demise of B1058 on 25 December 2023. As of 24 March 2024, it has flown to space and landed 19 times, matching the record of B1058, B1061 and B1062.
1 2 3 4 McDowell, Jonathan (1 June 2023). "Starlink Statistics". Jonathan's Space Pages. Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on 10 December 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
↑ Wiltshire, William M., ed. (18 November 2018), "Application for Fixed Satellite Service by Space Exploration Holdings, LLC", SAT-MOD-20181108-00083/SATMOD2018110800083, FCC, archived from the original on 17 November 2020, retrieved 24 March 2019, Space Exploration Holdings, LLC seeks to modify its Ku/Ka-band NGSO license to relocate satellites previously authorized to operate at an altitude of 1,150km (710mi) to an altitude of 550km (340mi), and to make related changes to the operations of the satellites in this new lower shell of the constellation This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
↑ Henry, Caleb (26 April 2019). "FCC OKs lower orbit for some Starlink satellites". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2019. lower the orbit of nearly 1,600 of its proposed broadband satellites. The Federal Communications Commission said 26 April 2019 it was correct with SpaceX changing its plans to orbit those satellites at 550km (340mi) instead of 1,150km (710mi). SpaceX says the adjustment, requested six months ago, will make a safer space environment, since any defunct satellites at the lower altitude would reenter the Earth's atmosphere in five years even without propulsion. The lower orbit also means more distance between Starlink and competing Internet constellations proposed by OneWeb and Telesat. FCC approval allows satellite companies to provide communications services in the United States. The agency granted SpaceX market access in March 2018 for 4,425 satellites using Ku-band and Ka-band spectrum, and authorized 7,518 V-band satellites in November 2018. SpaceX's modified plans apply to the smaller of the two constellations
↑ McDowell, Jonathan (26 May 2021). "Starlink Statistics". Jonathan's Space Pages. Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
↑ McDowell, Jonathan (25 October 2022). "Starlink Statistics". Jonathan's Space Pages. Jonathan's Space Report. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
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