[ad_1]
Starlink it’s not just a way to get people to connect to the internet even when they are in remote places (or with their camper or boat). There satellite megaconstellationstill under development and expansion, is also one of the means by which SpaceX succeeds and generate earnings by investing in the development of solutions such as Starship. After all, the company of Elon Musk it is private and has only a few selected investors while another part of the proceeds derives from launch contracts with agencies or other companies.
Keep the constellation functioning and expand it to meet the needs of the market (that is corporate, consumer or for the military) is therefore fundamental. This is why the US company is thinking about the second generation of Starlink which promises several improvements. One of the cornerstones of the expansion of the number of satellites will be Starship, but it seems that Falcon 9 will also be used.
SpaceX will also focus on Falcon 9 for the second generation Starlink
In the documentation presented about a year ago it appeared that the second generation of Starlink would be launched exclusively with Starship. However, it seems that in the latest update the company has also reintroduced the more than reliable (but less capacious) Falcon 9. This kind of space rockets have proved to be reliable, inexpensive and now well tested also in terms of launch cadence. On the other hand, however, they are “alone” medium and non-heavy launchers like Starship.
It was to write David Goldman (which is in charge of the management of the satellites) who sent a letter to the FCC. It seems that SpaceX you are looking for an ideal mix that avoids having to wait too long for the Starship test, relying instead on Falcon 9, while losing launch capacity (the first is given for 100 tons in LEO, the second for 23 tons).
The new ones Starlink they will in themselves have similar technical characteristics but different structures due to having to adapt to different types of rockets. It must be considered that the new satellites will be larger (7 x 5 meters) and heavier (1.25 tons) than the current ones. If the plans are successful, SpaceX it will reach nearly 30,000 units in orbit, although it is not clear when their launch will begin.
If we look at the current situationwith the first generation of satellites Starlink, 3108 units were launched. Of these, 2841 are currently in orbit and 2806 are actually functional. These are therefore much smaller numbers than we will see in the future. To these will then be added the other satellite constellations, such as those of OneWeb or Amazon and other operators in the sector. This poses a major problem in terms of orbital crowding and the relative risk of one Kessler syndrome (not just related to Starlink) which sooner or later will have to be seriously addressed by agencies, governments and individuals.
Gift ideas, why waste time and risk making mistakes?
GIVE A GOOD AMAZON!
.
[ad_2]
Source link
