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]
Starlink satellites are also planned to launch on Starship, an under-development rocket of SpaceX with a much larger payload capacity.[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 derelict, but deorbited due to atmospheric drag.[33]As of 16November2021[update], only 5 failed satellites were still in orbit. All working satellites have been deorbited deliberately.[34]
First launch of Starlink "operational" satellites (v1.0),[36] with an increased mass of 260kg each and included Ka-band antennas.[37] 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,[39] has an experimental coating to make it less reflective, and to reduce the impact on ground-based astronomical observations.[40]
BlackSky Global 7 and 8, the 5th and 6th BlackSky Global satellites, launched as rideshare payloads.[47] All of the Starlink satellites are outfitted with the sunshade visor that was tested on a single satellite on 4 June 2020 launch.[48]
Part of Transporter-2 (SmallSat Rideshare Mission 2).[68] 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".[70]
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.[77][78] By 12 February, 38 satellites had reentered the atmosphere while the remaining 11 continued to raise their orbits.[79]
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.[100]
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.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) is an American spacecraft manufacturer, launcher, and a satellite communications corporation headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the stated goal of reducing space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars. The company manufactures the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship launch vehicles, several rocket engines, Cargo Dragon and Crew Dragon spacecraft, and Starlink communications satellites.
Falcon 9 is a partially reusable medium lift launch vehicle that can carry cargo and crew into Earth orbit, produced by American aerospace company SpaceX.
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 other as Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) for SpaceX landings.
Falcon Heavy is a partially reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle that is produced by SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer. The rocket consists of two strap-on boosters made from Falcon 9 first stages, a center core also made from a Falcon 9 first stage, and a second stage on top. Falcon Heavy has the second highest payload capacity of any currently operational launch vehicle behind NASA's Space Launch System and the fourth-highest capacity of any rocket to reach orbit, trailing the Saturn V, Energia and Space Launch System.
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.
SpaceX is privately funding the development of orbital launch systems that can be reused many times, in a manner similar to the reusability of aircraft. SpaceX has been developing the technologies over several years to facilitate full and rapid reusability of space launch vehicles. The project's long-term objectives include returning a launch vehicle first stage to the launch site in minutes and to return a second stage to the launch pad following orbital realignment with the launch site and atmospheric reentry in up to 24 hours. SpaceX's long term goal is that both stages of their orbital launch vehicle will be designed to allow reuse a few hours after return.
Planet Labs PBC is an American public Earth imaging company based in San Francisco, California. Their goal is to image the entirety of the Earth daily to monitor changes and pinpoint trends.
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 controlled when on station for a landing. Construction of such ships was commissioned by aerospace company SpaceX to allow recovery of launch vehicle first stages at sea for missions that do not carry enough fuel to return to the launch site after boosting spacecraft onto an orbital or interplanetary trajectory.
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX, providing satellite Internet access coverage to 40 countries. It also aims for global mobile phone service after 2023. SpaceX started launching Starlink satellites in 2019. As of September 2022, Starlink consists of over 3,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), which communicate with designated ground transceivers. In total, nearly 12,000 satellites are planned to be deployed, with a possible later extension to 42,000. Starlink provides internet access to over 500,000 subscribers as of June 2022.
This article documents notable spaceflight events during the year 2020.
Paz is a Spanish Earth observation and reconnaissance satellite launched on 22 February 2018. It is Spain's first spy satellite. The satellite is operated by Hisdesat. Paz was previously referred to as SEOSAR.
Falcon 9 booster B1048 was a reusable orbital-class Block 5 Falcon 9 first-stage booster manufactured by SpaceX. B1048 was the third Falcon 9 Block 5 to fly and the second Block 5 booster to re-fly. It became the second orbital-class booster to fly a third time and is the first booster ever to be launched five times. B1048 service came to an end on its fifth flight when an engine shut down prematurely on launch. Whilst the primary mission was unaffected and the Starlink payload deployed successfully, B1048 was unable to land. In a subsequent investigation, SpaceX found that isopropyl alcohol, used as cleaning fluid, was trapped and ignited causing the engine to be shut down. To address the issue, in a following launch SpaceX indicated that the cleaning process was not done.
↑ 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
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