SpaceX just launched 60 Starlink satellites — here’s what it means for coverage

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SpaceX just launched sixty Starlink satellites — here'due south what information technology ways for coverage

(Epitome credit: SOPA Images | Getty Images)

SpaceX continues its rapid expansion launching another round of Starlink satellites into depression-Earth orbit (LEO). That brings the the total number to more than 1,300.

The 25th Starlink satellite mission thus far launched occurred earlier today (March 24) from Greatcoat Canaveral, Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket also successfully landed at sea on SpaceX's floating platform.

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The latest launch makes information technology SpaceX's ninth of 2021, bring this twelvemonth's total to 430 satellites. That's a rapid prune, as between 2018 and 2020 Elon Musk'due south rocket visitor had only thrown upwards 895 satellites into orbit.

"This is the sixth landing for this booster and the 78th landing overall," said Andy Tran, a production supervisor at SpaceX via the online launch stream. "What a manner to first the day."

The latest launch gives Starlink a full of i,325 satellites. The first Starlink satellite net constellation is set to be one,440, meaning that Elon Musk is a few launches away from reaching his initial goal.

"With more than than 100 successful flights of Falcon 9 and 78  recoveries of our start phase to engagement, we've fabricated a lot of progress since and so," said Tran.

Every bit for how this affects current coverage, those in Northern latitudes — the areas above Seattle and into Canada — should run across more consistent coverage. This also extends to users in the U.K. While the current Starlink coverage map data shows that users below Seattle can admission the service, the best reception current favors higher latitudes at the moment.

While 1,325 is an impressive number of satellites, it's still far off from Starlink's ultimate goal of launching 12,000 satellites into space.

It should be noted, that Starlink has put in a request with the Federal Communications Commission in May of 2020 to launch a total of 30,000 satellites. This could be for a 2d-generation rollout aimed at improving service.

• More: These are the best Wi-Fi routers to utilise with your new Starlink internet service

Imad Khan is news editor at Tom's Guide, helping direct the day'southward breaking coverage. Prior to working at the site, Imad was a full-time freelancer, with bylines at the New York Times, the Washington Post and ESPN. Exterior of piece of work, you can find him sitting blankly in front of a Word document trying desperately to write the offset pages of a new volume.

Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/spacex-just-launched-60-starlink-satellites-heres-what-it-means-for-coverage

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