SpaceX Launches First Batch of Starlink Gen2 Satellites
The first batch of 54 Starlink Gen2 satellites were launched into orbit at 4:34 Wednesday morning from the Cape Canaveral Space Force station in Florida.
This was the eleventh launch and landing for this Falcon 9 first stage booster, which previously launched GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, and now six Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship which was stationed down range in the Atlantic Ocean. The launch was the 60th SpaceX mission in 2022.
This launch marked the first of Starlink’s upgraded network. Under a new license, SpaceX is now able to deploy satellites to new orbits that will add even more capacity to the network. Ultimately, this enables the company to add more customers and provide faster service – particularly in areas that are currently over-subscribed.
FCC Recently Licensed Starlink Gen2 Satellites
The FCC recently granted authority to SpaceX to launch and operate up to 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites operating at altitudes of 326, 329, and 332 miles and inclinations of 53, 43, and 33 degrees, respectively. These are part of the proposed constellation of 29,988 non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellites, to be known as its “second-generation” Starlink constellation.
The authorization was limited to 7,500 satellites to address concerns raised in public comments about orbital debris and space safety. The agency is also requiring SpaceX to report mitigation actions taken to avoid collisions in space, coordinate and collaborate with NASA to ensure continued availability of launch windows and on other matters, and pause deployment of new satellites if satellite failures exceed a certain threshold.
There are more than 3,300 Starlink satellites currently in orbit. Starlink claims more than 1 million subscribers worldwide, including more than 150,000 in Ukraine, where the service was opened up to provide internet connectivity in the war-torn country.
(Source: SpaceX, Twitter. Images via Twitter)