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Jeez, when visualized like that, that's a lot more than I was expecting. How many multiples of this do they currently expect they want to get their vision of

Jeez, when visualized like that, that's a lot more than I was expecting. How many multiples of this do they currently expect they want to get their vision of a general service running? Maybe a dumb question, what are the ones that seem to be a bunch in an arc/line? They seem to be a somewhat continuous-ish numbered ones, but not very strictly. Is the latitude limited by physics or just their limited operation? I know the really great case for this is more remote areas, but just wondering like the Nordics, Moscow. Doesn't get much more remote than Siberia. Are they just out of luck? Probably dumb questions, don't know much about space flight, just kind of astonished by the amount of satellites. I kind of wish it made more sense for me when it becomes available. My internet's okay, but my area is probably populated enough I might not be the target audience, or a place where it works out well.

_Microft 5y ago
They have a license for 7x as many (12k vs 1.7k right now) and are applying for up to 30k. The bunched ones will be freshly launched batches of satellites that have not reached their target altitude, they will spread out in the process. The latitudes that they overfly are currently limited to up to 53°. The explanation might not be the easiest but here it is: satellites go around in a circle or ellipse that lies on an imagined plane, the so-called orbital plane [0]. This plane can be at an angle with the equatorial plane which is called the "inclination" (this value also gives the maximum latitude that they reach). Starlink uses a lot of these planes, each rotated a bit further around the globe [1]. This is so that all areas on the ground will be in sight of one of the satellites eventually. Starlink should also be able to function a bit further to the north than 53° latitude right now but for any latitude much higher than this, users will need to wait until SpaceX has a working network in polar orbits (i.e. not flying on these tilted plains but more or less directly over the poles instead). They are required to eventually serve Alaska, for example. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_plane_(astronomy) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_plane_(astronomy) [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_of_the_ascending_node https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_of_the_ascending_nod...
- kQq9oHeAz6wLLS 5y ago
  > The bunched ones will be freshly launched batches of satellites that have not reached their target altitude, they will spread out in the process. And seeing them fly overhead in the dark of night, all in a line proceeding across the sky is by far the coolest, most sci-fi thing I've ever seen. Also rather surreal.
- mabbo 5y ago
  > users will need to wait until SpaceX has a working network in polar orbits (i.e. not flying on these tilted plains but more or less directly over the poles instead) Apparently this has already begun, judging by the train of sats that I'm watching fly over the south pole right now.
  - JshWright 5y ago
    They have done a couple polar launches, totaling 13 satellites (they were both “rideshares” with other payload launches). The bigger group (10) was launched ~7 months ago and wouldn’t be in a train anymore. EDIT: Oh, nevermind, looks like the batch of 10 is still grouped pretty tightly (wonder why they haven’t spread out yet…?)
  - mlindner 5y ago
    They've done few test prototype launches of satellites that were grouped together along with a ride share mission that they had other customers paying for. The operational satellites are about to start launching next month at the earliest [0]. [0] https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/07/27/spacex-to-begin-launching-new-generation-of-starlink-satellites-next-month/ https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/07/27/spacex-to-begin-launch...
- martinmunk 5y ago
  Glad to hear about the the plans for polar orbit. I do volunteer work in Danish version of FEMA and have gotten more involved in our satellite internet solutions. Our biggest challenge is coverage over Greenland, as geostationary satellites are not visible over the horizon. Iridium has coverage, but it’s slow and bulky. We’re awaiting gear to test Starkink, I believe.
gbrown 5y ago
The ones in a line haven’t reached their final orbits yet - they launch in clusters and then slowly separate on orbit.
mlindner 5y ago
> Jeez, when visualized like that, that's a lot more than I was expecting. How many multiples of this do they currently expect they want to get their vision of a general service running? They claim that they'll have full operational service (out of beta) in September of this year. Which means you're currently seeing all the ones that will be in the initial operational service, as they can't launch anymore now and have them positioned in time for that date. They're still orbit raising and positioning some of the satellites (which is why you see gaps in a couple of spots). The initial operational service can't service extremely high latitudes (north of around 55 degrees north, or south of around 55 degrees south) nor can it operate service outside of the range of a ground station near to where the customer is which limits the maximum number of users. They're about to start launching polar launches (just announced) of the new generation of satellites with laser links so they'll be able to provide service over the ocean and at the poles. https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/07/27/spacex-to-begin-launching-new-generation-of-starlink-satellites-next-month/ https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/07/27/spacex-to-begin-launch...

_Microft 5y ago

They have a license for 7x as many (12k vs 1.7k right now) and are applying for up to 30k. The bunched ones will be freshly launched batches of satellites that have not reached their target altitude, they will spread out in the process. The latitudes that they overfly are currently limited to up to 53°. The explanation might not be the easiest but here it is: satellites go around in a circle or ellipse that lies on an imagined plane, the so-called orbital plane [0]. This plane can be at an angle with the equatorial plane which is called the "inclination" (this value also gives the maximum latitude that they reach). Starlink uses a lot of these planes, each rotated a bit further around the globe [1]. This is so that all areas on the ground will be in sight of one of the satellites eventually. Starlink should also be able to function a bit further to the north than 53° latitude right now but for any latitude much higher than this, users will need to wait until SpaceX has a working network in polar orbits (i.e. not flying on these tilted plains but more or less directly over the poles instead). They are required to eventually serve Alaska, for example. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_plane_(astronomy) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_plane_(astronomy) [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_of_the_ascending_node https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_of_the_ascending_nod...

kQq9oHeAz6wLLS 5y ago
> The bunched ones will be freshly launched batches of satellites that have not reached their target altitude, they will spread out in the process. And seeing them fly overhead in the dark of night, all in a line proceeding across the sky is by far the coolest, most sci-fi thing I've ever seen. Also rather surreal.
mabbo 5y ago
> users will need to wait until SpaceX has a working network in polar orbits (i.e. not flying on these tilted plains but more or less directly over the poles instead) Apparently this has already begun, judging by the train of sats that I'm watching fly over the south pole right now.
- JshWright 5y ago
  They have done a couple polar launches, totaling 13 satellites (they were both “rideshares” with other payload launches). The bigger group (10) was launched ~7 months ago and wouldn’t be in a train anymore. EDIT: Oh, nevermind, looks like the batch of 10 is still grouped pretty tightly (wonder why they haven’t spread out yet…?)
- mlindner 5y ago
  They've done few test prototype launches of satellites that were grouped together along with a ride share mission that they had other customers paying for. The operational satellites are about to start launching next month at the earliest [0]. [0] https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/07/27/spacex-to-begin-launching-new-generation-of-starlink-satellites-next-month/ https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/07/27/spacex-to-begin-launch...
martinmunk 5y ago
Glad to hear about the the plans for polar orbit. I do volunteer work in Danish version of FEMA and have gotten more involved in our satellite internet solutions. Our biggest challenge is coverage over Greenland, as geostationary satellites are not visible over the horizon. Iridium has coverage, but it’s slow and bulky. We’re awaiting gear to test Starkink, I believe.

gbrown 5y ago

The ones in a line haven’t reached their final orbits yet - they launch in clusters and then slowly separate on orbit.

mlindner 5y ago

> Jeez, when visualized like that, that's a lot more than I was expecting. How many multiples of this do they currently expect they want to get their vision of a general service running? They claim that they'll have full operational service (out of beta) in September of this year. Which means you're currently seeing all the ones that will be in the initial operational service, as they can't launch anymore now and have them positioned in time for that date. They're still orbit raising and positioning some of the satellites (which is why you see gaps in a couple of spots). The initial operational service can't service extremely high latitudes (north of around 55 degrees north, or south of around 55 degrees south) nor can it operate service outside of the range of a ground station near to where the customer is which limits the maximum number of users. They're about to start launching polar launches (just announced) of the new generation of satellites with laser links so they'll be able to provide service over the ocean and at the poles. https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/07/27/spacex-to-begin-launching-new-generation-of-starlink-satellites-next-month/ https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/07/27/spacex-to-begin-launch...