On Wednesday, SpaceX launched the first shipment of a new generation Starlink satellites in orbit. SpaceX brought the final touch to a rocket landing at sea to place a record for the 60th flight of 2022. The company used a Falcon 9 rocket outstripped with 54 advanced Starlink internet satellites. However, these satellites are associated with the first generation 2 versions of the SpaceX batch.
The rocket illuminated the sky before dawn with a smooth launch from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Moreover, the lift-off took place at 4:34 a.m. EST (0934 GMT). A SpaceX production and engineering manager, Jesse Anderson, delivered his words during live launch commentary. He said the company is now able to deploy satellites to new orbits under a new license.
Anderson said the recent mission will add more capacity to the network. This would eventually allow SpaceX to bring in more customers. The company will provide faster service, especially in the currently oversubscribed areas. The first stage of the Falcon 9 returned to Earth around 8 minutes after liftoff. It landed on the drone ship SpaceX (A Shortfall of Gravitas) in the Atlantic Ocean.
SpaceX Launched 31 Flights in 2021
Meanwhile, critically rough recovery weather also endangered holding up the launch. But a successful touchdown has marked the end of the 60th SpaceX launch in 2022. Keep in mind that the space company reached double compared to 31 SpaceX launches in 2021. The first stage of the Falcon 9 on this mission also marked its 11th flight on Wednesday’s launch.
However, the booster previously streamed 5 Starlink missions including carrying 2 US GPS satellites. Previous missions also include One Nilesat 301 and 2 different private astronaut members on the Ax-1 and Inspiration4 missions. SpaceX will also strive to recover the 2 payload fairing parts that consisted of the Falcon 9’s nose cone.
Starlink Gen2 Satellites are More Powerful
Anderson also said that both parts had flown before, for later reuse. The Starlink Gen2 of SpaceX is more powerful compared to the 3,300 or others currently moving in orbit. Experts believe that SpaceX wants to eventually boost the bandwidth. Meanwhile, the broadband network is experiencing clogging distresses regardless of sending hundreds of first-generation Starlink satellites in 2022.
On December 1, Anderson said the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) issued approval for SpaceX to employ 7,500 Gen2 satellites. However, FCC granted partial approval because SpaceX applied for permission to deliver around 30,000 satellites to low Earth orbit. SpaceX designed and manufactured the Starlink satellite internet star formation.
Gen2 Satellites Directly Provide Service to Smartphones
These satellites provide high-speed low-latency internet to those living in urban and remote areas worldwide. SpaceX founder Elon Musk claimed the Gen2 satellites can provide service directly to smartphones. However, SpaceX ultimately plans to utilize its massive Starship rocket to deliver a new batch of satellites into space.
This is a significant development but we are still waiting for further approvals to fly Falcon 9 to space for 18 months. Keep in mind that Starlink satellites of SpaceX are well-reputed space probes around the world. The orbit currently features around 3,000 Starlink satellites and SpaceX has planned to add more to the fleet. These satellites are fundamentally designed to offer broadband internet around the globe.
SpaceX Frequently Launches Starlink Satellites Each Year
However, there are various other usages for the subversive formation of stars both in use and planning. Starlink satellites frequently make headlines for the sharp number of launches SpaceX executes each year. The company didn’t mention the impacts the satellites probably had on astronomy during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, there are a plethora of strange facts associated with Starlink orbiting below the radar. Musk said in 2018 that the name Starlink was extracted from John Green’s 2012 novel “The Fault in Our Stars”. The novel moves around a 16-years old Hazel Lancaster, diagnosed with terminal cancer. He met with another teenage cancer patient, Augustus, in a cancer support group.