How many Starlink satellites are in the orbit before the June 25 launch?

SpaceX’s internet-from-space initiative called Starlink is inching closer to its goal as the company is now set to launch its next batch of satellites into the Earth’s orbit. Starlink is a satellite network by the private aerospace company which is being developed to provide low-cost internet to remote locations.

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How many Starlink satellites are in the orbit?

The company's recent SpaceX launch took 58 Starlink broadband satellites into the Earth’s orbit which takes the total Starlink constellation up to 540 satellites in space till date. It is known as the biggest constellation in space.

The Aerospace company eventually hopes to construct as many as 12,000-satellite mega-constellations into Earth’s orbit. The latest mission will launch another 60 satellites into space, taking the total to 600. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, June 25.

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In June 2020, the company applied to the Federal Communications Commission in the US for use of the E-band in the Gen2 constellation. It is expected to deploy as many as 30,000 Starlink satellites and offer worldwide coverage.

While the project aims to offer high-speed internet service to customers around the globe, it particularly looks to focus on remote and under-served areas. Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, recently stated that the company will require close to 400 Starlink satellites to offer the basic services, and will need at least 800 satellites to provide moderate coverage.

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Starlinks inviting beta testers

Elon Musk also stated earlier in April that the company would begin a private beta service in about three months, and a public beta will start in six months. Now, the company is inviting people to get the updates on Starlink news and the service availability for their respective areas by simply filling an online form with an email address and zip code on its website. It will allow prospective customers to get all the updates and gain access to a public beta test of the Starlink service.

According to a report from Hypebeast, once a person is registered for the beta test, they receive a return email from the company thanking them for expressing interest in the service, adding that the private beta test is expected to start later in summer, followed by public beta testing, starting with higher latitudes.

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Image credits: NASA Space Flight