Published 19:14 IST, October 18th 2020
SpaceX launches 60 more Starlink broadband satellites into orbit
On October 18, SpaceX launched its 14th group of 60 satellites from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, for the company's Starlink broadband network.
SpaceX is undoubtedly amongst the most popular private space agencies in the world. In its quest to enter into the broadband service, the SpaceX Starlink mission keeps launching one rocket after another. On October 18, the company launched its 14th group of 60 satellites from Florida, US. The liftoff occurred on time at 8:25 am EDT aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Complex 38A at Kennedy Space Center. Sunday’s launch boosted the number of satellites in orbit to nearly 800.
Less than 10-minutes after the launch, Falcon 9 first stage booster also returned and landed on SpaceX’s ocean-faring drone ship ‘of Course I Still Love You’ positioned out in the Atlantic. It is the 6th launch and landing for this booster.
After the previous Starlink on October 6, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk had said that launch would soon allow it to ‘roll out a fairly wide public’ test in the northern US and ‘hopefully’ in southern Canada. The company had said that emergency responders in northern Washington State had used the Starlink service in wildfire-stricken areas.
SpaceX’s goal to deploy 42,000 satellites
According to the official website, as the Starlink network is still in its early stages, the team continues to test the system, collecting latency data and performing speed tests of the service. The Starlink team also recently installed Starlinks on the Administrative Center building and about 20 private homes on the Hoh Tribe Reservation, located in a remote area of western Washington State where internet access is limited or completely unavailable.
Starlink is reportedly Elon Musk's dream project with a target of a massive constellation of as many as 12,000 satellites into space. As the project continues to expand, SpaceX has ramped up its lift-offs by launching 60 satellites in space after every 14 days. Even though the current plan is to deploy around 12,000 such satellites in the space, the company has stated that the ultimate goal is to take the same number up to 42,000. SpaceX is also sending out invitations to people who are interested in the potential low-cost internet service to apply for receiving updates on Starlink news and beta availability.
Updated 19:14 IST, October 18th 2020