Starlink is the satellite internet operation operated by the company of Elon Musk called SpaceX. It provides internet access from the satellite that covers 32 countries, its main aims for global coverage not only to 32 countries but also to the whole world.
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Making of the Starlink
Starlink is mainly assigned to communicate with designated ground to transceivers, as on April 22nd it has consists of more than 2100 small satellites in the earth’s orbit.
The SpaceX satellite is developed by the development facility in Redmond, in Washington in the houses of the Starlink manufacturing, development, research and orbit control teams.
Since 15th October 2019, the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has submitted forms to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on behalf of SpaceX to arrange a spectrum for over 30,000 additional Starlink satellites to supply the 12,000 Starlink satellites that were already approved by the FCC..
Astronomers has raised their concerns about the constellation that will be effect on the ground-based astronomy and they will also add how the satellites will add to orbital environment. SpaceX have upgraded Starlink satellites by reducing their brightness during their launch and the operations from the orbit. The satellites are totally equipped with a krypton fuel system that will de-orbit at the end of their lives. They are specially designed to avoid collisions based on tracking data.
What Countries will Starlink be available?
SpaceX have made the applications to FCC for at least 32 ground stations based in the United States all, and as of July 2020, they were approved for five of them in different five states in the US. Starlink uses the Ka-band to get connect with ground stations.
To get an offer of satellite services from many countries, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) regulated and had long-standing international treaties that required landing rights to be granted by each country.
Even though the Starlink network has near-global reach at low latitudes having the degree around 60°, broadband services were only provided in the 32 countries as of April 2022.
SpaceX can also have financial and business services that may make a difference in the countries that Starlink provides service. For example, SpaceX formally requested the authorities from Canada only for one month that was June 2020 the Canadian regulatory authority approved it again in November 2020.
The deployment of first 1440 satellites were planned in 72 orbits planes of 20 satellites each, having a request to lower the minimum elevation angle for beams to improve reception at 25° rather than 40° on the other orbital shells. SpaceX launched the constellation’s first 60 satellites into a 550 km (340 mi) orbit in May 2019 and six launches are expected in 2019, with 720 satellites for continuous coverage in 2020.
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How much does Starlink cost?
The overall cost of the total mission till May, 08 was at least 10 billion$. This is huge and due to the growth of the star links satellite the cost of the satellite will touch 30 billion dollar till 2025.
Since Feb 2021, SpaceX have completed the raising of additional of $3.5 billion in equity financing over the last six months to support in the capital intensive phase of operational fielding of Starlink, the development of the Starship launch system. In April 2021, SpaceX clarified that they have already tested two generations of the Starlink technology.
The second one is less expensive than the first one. The third generation, will be in the link expected to begin launched in the upcoming few months that is less expensive than the earlier version.
Conclusion
Starship has planned more satellites in the year 2022, they are gaining popularity worldwide. Many other countries, including Asian countries like China and India, intend to give some contract to the Starships.
They are planning great satellites in the future, their success is winning hearts and their progress will also show some promising future in the upcoming days.