It ’ll require a few more twelvemonth — and yard of more satellite — before SpaceX ’s Starlink internet constellation achieve full functionality , but that did n’t stop Elon Musk from participating in an former test of the organisation , which apparently work out .
belatedly last Nox , Elon Muskannouncedon Twitter that he was sending a “ tweet through outer space via Starlink satellite . ” A few minutes later he reply to the tweet , saying : “ Whoa , it worked ! ! ”
Whoa , it worked ! !
The first batch of 60 Starlink satellites just prior to deployment in low Earth orbit.Image: (SpaceX)
— Elon Musk ( @elonmusk)October 22 , 2019
Not bad , considering the constellation presently consists of just 60 planet , of which three are n’t even working ( not a great attrition charge per unit , but that’sanother story ) . Back in May , when a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket deposited the smallsats at an altitude of 400 klick ( 250 mi ) , Musksaidthe system would n’t be of much habit until the configuration reaches around 400 units and that it wo n’t reach out “ significant operational capability ” until 800 satellites . But as Musk ’s tweet suggest , some functionality currently exists .
Once the system goes online at some point during the 2020s , Starlink will hopefully provide low-toned - toll broadband internet to virtually every positioning on Earth , no matter how removed . Parked in low Earth orbit , the grumpy - linked satellites will create a kind of shell around the earth , offer internet admittance to paying customer on the dry land .
Musk look Starlink to be “ economically viable ” at 1,000 unit , but the private aerospace society plans to launch as many as 12,000 planet , each of which weigh around 500 pounds ( 227 kg ) . really , the organization could contain even more than that , given SpaceX’srecent requestto the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) to plunge an additional 30,000 satellites .
When the first batch of Starlink artificial satellite launched in May , they appeared as abrightly illuminate string in the sky . This deployment , and the prospect of many more , is a concern to astronomers , whoworrythat smallsat constellations will interfere with scientific observance of space .
https://gizmodo.com/spacex-says-a-bug-prevented-it-from-receiving-warning-o-1837836067
expert also worry that Starlink and other purport constellations , include those in the works by Amazon and OneWeb , could increase the chances of a collision in space . These fear were pad this retiring September when the European Space Agency had to do a “ collision avoidance tactical manoeuvre ” to forestall its Aeolus satellite from potentially smashing into a Starlink artificial satellite .
Elon MusksatellitesScienceSPACEXStarlink
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