Starlink
Overview
Starlink is a satellite constellation project being constructed by SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company. The constellation will consist of thousands of mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), working in combination with ground transceivers. SpaceX intends to provide satellite internet connectivity to underserved areas of the planet, as well as provide competitively priced service to urban areas.
Development and design
The project was announced in January 2015, with the goal of building a low-cost, high-performance satellite bus and requisite customer ground transceivers to implement a new space-based Internet system. SpaceX has plans to also sell satellites that use a satellite bus that may be used for military, scientific, or exploratory purposes.
In the development process, SpaceX has developed a flat-panel design for the satellites, which allows a significant launch cost reduction. Mass production of flat-panel satellites was underway by March 2018, with the first two prototype test-flight satellites launched in February 2018. An additional set of test satellites and the first large deployment of a piece of the constellation occurred in 2019 when the first batch of 60 operational satellites was launched.
The spacecraft are mass-produced, with the aim of creating a constellation of 12,000 satellites, with a possible later extension to 42,000. The satellites will be flown to their operational altitude by ion propulsion. Each satellite's projected operational life is around five years, after which they will decay over the course of one year.
Launches
The first two prototype test-flight satellites were launched in February 2018. A second set of test satellites, as well as the first large deployment of a piece of the constellation, were launched on 24 May 2019 UTC. Regularly scheduled launches commenced in November 2019 with the launch of the second large batch of 60 satellites, and will continue into the mid-2020s.
As of March 2021, SpaceX has launched over 1,300 Starlink satellites. They plan to launch 60 more per Falcon 9 flight, with launches as often as every two weeks. In 2020, SpaceX intends to launch 12000 satellites, and has been approved to launch up to 30,000 more.
Services
SpaceX intends to provide satellite internet connectivity to underserved areas of the planet, as well as provide competitively priced service to urban areas. The company has stated that the positive cash flow from selling satellite internet services would be necessary to fund their Mars plans.
Elon Musk has said that, for the three billion people in the world who lack access to the internet, the system could allow them to access the vast knowledge of the world. SpaceX began a public beta service in the United States in late 2020, with a full commercial service planned for mid to late 2021.
Reception and impact
The project has been met with mixed reception. Astronomers have raised concerns about the impact of the satellites on night sky observation. SpaceX is working on measures to reduce the visibility of their satellites. On the other hand, the project promises to provide high-quality internet access to areas of the world where it was previously unavailable or prohibitively expensive.