SpaceX has already produced a bunch of Starlink satellites and is on track to start launching them in May.
tech2 News StaffApr 28,2019 09:34:51 IST
The US Federal Communications Commission has approved SpaceX’s plans to fly a fleet of internet-transmitting satellites, Starlink, at an orbit lower than originally planned.
As per a report by The Verge, SpaceX originally planned to launch 4,425 Starlink satellites to ranges between roughly 1,110 to 1,325 kilometers. This plan won the FCC’s approval in early 2018. But the company later decided based on test data that it would like 1,584 of those satellites to orbit at the much lower height of around 340 miles (550 kilometers).
SpaceX reasoned that lower elevation would allow it to cut latency down to 15 milliseconds and cut the total number of satellites by 16 without reducing coverage. The company also said the lower altitude would allow any satellites that lose orbit to begin burning up quickly instead of clogging Earth orbit with space junk, something that was the concern of a recent NASA study.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launching SpaceX’s two test Starlink satellites.
