Starlink: SpaceX prepares for next launch mission
This week’s Starlink mission will be SpaceX’s third launch in less than three weeks. Here’s what you need to know.
The launch on 25 June will be SpaceX’s third Starlink launch in less than three weeks. It’s also the second commercial Starlink rideshare mission in two weeks, and the 10th overall mission of sending satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Exciting times! There are currently 540 satellites in orbit around our planet and the next batch will add an additional 60 satellites to the total. Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming launch.
SpaceX’s Starlink launch mission
When is the next Starlink launch
Date and time is subject to change.
Starlink’s 10th launch is scheduled for 25 June at 22:58 British Summer Time (BST). For South African enthusiasts, that will 23:58. The launch is scheduled to lift off from the Cape Canaveral base.
At the time of publishing, weather conditions seem favourable. If all goes according to plan, a Falcon 9 rocket will carry the next batch of satellites from the Kennedy Space Centre into low-Earth orbit.
Starlink’s purpose
South African-born SpaceX found Elon Musk wants to establish low-cost internet to remote locations across the world. Thanks to the satellites currently in orbit, Starlink should be able to provide broadband internet services to parts of the world later this year.
Starlink’s previous launch
The previous launch of 60 satellites took place on 13 June, just days after NASA and SpaceX’s historic Launch America mission. SpaceX didn’t conduct a static fire test before the launch, which saved time and money.
SpaceX used the Falcon 9’s first stage booster, the same rocket that previously flew two Cargo Dragon resupply missions to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of NASA’s spaceflight program.
The booster took 58 Starlink satellites and three PlanetLab Skysats into orbit around our planet before returning and landing on the drone ship, Of Course I still Love You.
For today’s launch, Falcon 9 flew 58 Starlink satellites and three PlanetLab Skysats into orbit before returning to Earth and landing on the Of Course I Still Love You drone ship off the coast.
Space junk
Responding to scientists concerns over the amount of “space junk” that will be left behind by the SpaceX missions, as well as the satellites obscuring the view of the night sky, found Elon Musk said there’s be “zero impact”.
“I am confident that we will not cause any impact whatsoever in astronomical discoveries, zero. That’s my prediction; we will take corrective action if it’s above zero.”
South African residents were in the prime seats earlier this week to spot the satellite train as it passed by overhead. The satellites were only visible for 5 or 6 minutes at a time.