(The Gist of Science Reporter) SpaceX’s satellites to boost internet services [AUGUST-2019]

SpaceX’s satellites to boost internet services

SpaceX successfully launched the FALCON-9 rocket carrying 60 Starlink satellites on 23 May 2019. This was the heaviest payload carried UP by SpaceX till date.
The array of satellites were deployed at an altitude of 440 km which then used onboard propulsion to reach an operational height of 550 km.
The main purpose of the mission is to provide reliable and affordable high-speed broadband internet services around the globe.
The problem with the present internet beaming satellites in space is their much higher altitudes i.e. geostationary orbits because of which signals need to travel a longer distance from space and back leading to delay in accessing information.
Therefore, to overcome the problem, SpaceX proposed the Starlink satellites at much lower orbits to minimise this latency issue.
This was the first batch of satellites, thousands of such launches are required to have moderate broadband coverage.
Once the mission is complete, the orbiting array of satellites will provide high-speed and uninterrupted internet services to the whole planet.
The solar-powered small satellites weighing 500 pounds will communicate with one another in the space via radio and optical links.
The user terminals from the ground will then be connected with the network which can be installed anywhere with the view of the sky.
With these satellites passing overhead, web access should be persistent, unlike the latency issues that are normal with conventional communication satellites.
Keeping in view the risk of in-flight collision and space debris, SpaceX has equipped each spacecraft with a startracker navigation system same as used in Cargo and Crew Dragon spacecraft developed by SpaceX.
The startracker system enables the SpaceX to point the satellites with precision enabling the satellites to track on-orbit debris and autonomously avoiding a collision.
Additionally, 95 per cent of all components of this design will rapidly burn in the Earth’s atmosphere at the end of each satellite’s lifecycle.