Starlink facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Starlink

60 Starlink satellites stacked together before deployment on 24 May 2019
Manufacturer	SpaceX
Country of origin	United States
Operator	Starlink Services, LLC (a wholly-owned subsidiary of SpaceX)
Applications	Internet service
Specifications
Spacecraft type	Small satellite
Launch mass	v 0.9: 227 kg (500 lb) v 1.0: 260 kg (570 lb) v 1.5: ~306 kg (675 lb) v 2 mini: ~740 kg (1,630 lb) v 2.0: ~1,250 kg (2,760 lb)
Equipment	Ku-, Ka-, and E-band phased array antennas Laser transponders (some units) Hall-effect thrusters
Regime	Low Earth orbit Sun-synchronous orbit
Production
Status	Active since 2019; 6 years ago (2019)

Starlink is a special internet service that uses thousands of small satellites orbiting Earth. It is run by a company called Starlink Services, LLC, which is part of SpaceX. Starlink provides internet to over 75 countries and plans to offer mobile internet everywhere.

SpaceX began launching these satellites in 2019. By early 2024, there were over 6,000 Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). These satellites talk to special ground devices. SpaceX plans to launch nearly 12,000 satellites in total, and maybe even more later. In September 2023, Starlink had 2 million subscribers.

The main place where Starlink satellites are designed and built is in Redmond, Washington. SpaceX thought it would cost at least $10 billion to create this satellite network. In 2023, Starlink started making a small profit.

Starlink has been used a lot in the Russo-Ukrainian War. The United States Department of Defense has a contract for this. There is also a special military version of Starlink called Starshield, made for governments.

Some scientists who study space are worried about how many satellites are in orbit. They are concerned about the satellites making the sky too bright and adding to space junk. SpaceX has tried to make the satellites less bright. The satellites have special engines that help them move and fall back to Earth safely when they are old. They can also avoid crashing into other objects in space by themselves.

How Starlink Started

Early Ideas for Satellite Internet

Ideas for satellites in low Earth orbit first appeared in the 1980s. In the 1990s, companies tried to build large satellite networks for communication. Some of these early projects included Iridium and Globalstar. However, these companies faced problems, partly because launching satellites was very expensive back then.

In 2004, a former leader from an "Internet in the sky" program joined SpaceX. SpaceX even bought a part of a company called Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) that was working on space internet. But SpaceX later sold its share to focus on its main goals.

In 2014, Elon Musk and another person planned a huge network of about 700 satellites. This was much bigger than any existing network. These plans changed, and SpaceX decided to create its own satellite internet system. They named it Starlink, inspired by a book called The Fault in Our Stars.

Designing the System (2015–2016)

Starlink was officially announced in January 2015. This happened when SpaceX opened its satellite development center in Redmond, Washington. Elon Musk said that many people around the world still needed affordable internet. He hoped Starlink could help provide a lot of the world's internet traffic. Musk also said that money from Starlink would help fund SpaceX's plans to go to Mars.

SpaceX started with 60 engineers in a rented space. By 2018, they moved to a bigger facility in Redmond. This new place allowed them to build satellites, not just design them. They also opened an office in Irvine, California, to work on special parts for the satellites.

By 2016, a big challenge was making the user equipment (what people use to connect) cheap enough. SpaceX leaders said the project was still in the "design phase" because of this.

Getting Ready for Launch (2016–2019)

In 2016, SpaceX asked the US government for permission to use radio frequencies for its satellites. The government said that half of the satellites had to be in orbit within six years. The full system needed to be in orbit within nine years.

SpaceX also explained how they would deal with space debris. They said their satellites would move to a special orbit at the end of their lives. From there, they would fall into Earth's atmosphere and burn up within about a year.

In 2018, the government approved SpaceX's plan for the first 4,425 satellites. They asked SpaceX to make sure 90% of the satellites would de-orbit reliably.

Starlink's Journey in Space

First Satellites Launched (2019–2020)

After launching two test satellites in 2018, the first 60 Starlink satellites were launched in May 2019.

By late 2019, SpaceX was building satellites very quickly. They aimed to launch 44 satellites every month for five years. This was to get 2,200 satellites into space to meet their license rules. SpaceX said they would meet the deadlines for putting satellites into orbit.

In November 2020, Starlink started a test internet service for the public. People testing it reported very fast speeds, even faster than expected.

Commercial Service (2021–Present)

In early 2021, people in the United States and Canada could start pre-ordering Starlink.

The US government had planned to give SpaceX money to help provide internet to rural areas. But in 2022, this money was taken back. The government said Starlink hadn't shown it could deliver the promised service. SpaceX disagreed, saying they met all the rules.

In 2021, SpaceX asked for permission to use Starlink on vehicles, boats, and airplanes. They also wanted to use it on rockets flying into space.

In 2022, SpaceX launched a faster service called Starlink Business. It uses a bigger antenna and offers speeds of 150 to 500 megabits per second. This service costs more. The government also approved Starlink for use on boats, aircraft, and moving vehicles.

In February 2022, Elon Musk announced that Starlink was turned on in Ukraine. This was after the Ukrainian government asked for help when their internet was damaged during the conflict.

Some military researchers in China have discussed ways to stop the Starlink network if it becomes a threat. Russian officials have also warned that Starlink could become a military target. Elon Musk has said Starlink is for peaceful use.

In December 2022, the US government approved SpaceX to launch 7,500 new satellites for its second-generation network. These satellites will orbit at different heights. SpaceX plans to launch even more satellites later.

By March 2023, SpaceX was building six "V2 Mini" satellites every day. These are smaller versions of the new satellites. They also make thousands of user terminals. Starlink made a small profit in 2022 and expects to be profitable in 2023.

SpaceX first thought the whole project would cost $10 billion. They hoped to make $12 billion in revenue by 2022. In 2022, Starlink made $1.4 billion but still had a loss. By 2023, it started making a small profit.

Starlink Customers

The number of Starlink customers around the world has grown quickly. By April 2024, there were 2.7 million users.

Month	Subscribers or customers	Ref
February 2021	≈ 10,000
June 2021	≈ 100,000
November 2021	≈ 140,000
February 2022	≈ 250,000
May 2022	≈ 400,000
June 2022	≈ 500,000
September 2022	≈ 700,000
December 2022	≈ 1,000,000
May 2023	≈ 1,500,000
September 2023	≈ 2,000,000
December 2023	≈ 2,200,000
March 2024	≈ 2,600,000
April 2024	≈ 2,700,000

Starlink Services

Satellite Internet for Everyone

Starlink offers internet from space to places that don't have good internet. It also provides competitive service in cities.

In the United States, Starlink first charged $599 for the equipment and $120 per month for service. For an extra $25 a month, you can use Starlink in different places, like in an RV. But the speed might be slower than for fixed users. Regular users can expect speeds of 50 to 150 megabits per second.

A faster service, Starlink Business, costs $2,500 for the equipment and $500 per month. It offers speeds of 150 to 500 megabits per second. Starlink Maritime provides internet on the open ocean. This service costs $10,000 for the equipment and $5,000 per month.

Starlink limits the number of users in each area due to wireless capacity. They offer a Best Effort service for homes in busy areas. This allows them to use any unused internet speed while waiting for a more prioritized service. To improve service in crowded places, Starlink added a monthly data limit for non-business users in 2023.

In August 2022, SpaceX lowered monthly prices for users in some countries, like Brazil and Chile. Internet analysis companies noticed that Starlink speeds slowed down in 2022 as more customers joined. SpaceX says speeds will get better as more satellites are launched.

In September 2023, a company called SES announced a new internet service for cruise ships. It uses both Starlink satellites and SES's own satellites. This service aims to provide very fast internet to cruise ships worldwide.

Satellite Phone Service

T-Mobile US and SpaceX are working together to add satellite phone service to Starlink satellites. This will provide cell phone coverage in areas without regular cell service in the US. It will start with text messages and later include voice calls and limited data. Testing began in 2024.

T-Mobile plans to connect to Starlink satellites using regular cell phones. This is different from older satellite phones that needed special equipment. The internet speed will be limited, but it can handle thousands of calls or millions of texts at once in a coverage area.

In March 2023, SpaceX said they were on track to test this service. The first six satellites with this feature launched on January 2, 2024.

Other companies, like Rogers Communications in Canada and One NZ in New Zealand, have also partnered with SpaceX for satellite-to-phone services. Optus in Australia announced a similar plan. On January 8, 2024, SpaceX confirmed they successfully tested text messaging using this new technology.

Starlink for Military Use

SpaceX also builds special military satellites based on Starlink designs. The Space Development Agency (SDA) is a big customer. The SDA was created to quickly develop new ways to defend against missiles using low-cost satellites.

In 2020, the SDA gave SpaceX a contract to build four satellites to find and track missiles. These satellites launched in April 2023. The US Space Force plans to use these satellites as part of a larger defense system. This system aims to make missile defense cheaper by using existing satellite technology like Starlink.

Some groups are worried that these military developments could increase tensions with other countries. They have suggested a treaty to stop an arms race in space.

Since 2021, a retired general, Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy, has been in charge of Starlink's military satellite development at SpaceX. He believes in using technology like machine learning to quickly gather and act on sensor data.

Starshield: A Military Starlink

In December 2022, SpaceX announced Starshield. This is a separate Starlink service made for governments and military groups. Starshield allows the US Department of Defense to own or rent Starshield satellites for its partners. Starshield was announced after Starlink's use in Ukraine showed how important it could be in modern conflicts.

Unlike regular Starlink, Starshield is built with military needs in mind. This includes strong encryption and ways to resist jamming. Elon Musk said that Starlink should be a civilian network, not for fighting. He stated that Starshield will be owned by the US government and controlled by the United States Space Force.

Starshield satellites can carry different kinds of military equipment. They can also connect with the regular Starlink satellites using special laser links.

In September 2023, the US Space Force gave Starshield its first contract. This contract is for providing special satellite communications for the military.

Military Communications

In 2019, the US Air Force tested Starlink. They showed that it could send data at 610 megabits per second to an aircraft. They also successfully tested a connection with Starlink on an AC-130 Gunship.

In 2020, the Air Force used Starlink during a live training exercise. They showed that Starlink could connect to different air and ground vehicles. Experts say that Starlink signals are harder for enemies to block because they use narrow, focused beams.

Starlink in the Russo-Ukrainian War

Starlink was turned on during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine after Ukraine asked for help. Ukraine's military and government quickly started relying on Starlink to keep their internet working. Starlink helps Ukraine communicate with the outside world and keep its power systems running.

The service is also used for military actions. Starlink helps connect drones, naval drones, and artillery systems. It is used to coordinate attacks on Russian positions. SpaceX has said they don't want Starlink used for offensive weapons, but they have kept most of the service online. The use of Starlink for attacks has been criticized by Russia.

Elon Musk said the service was costing $20 million per month. A Ukrainian official estimated SpaceX's help was worth over $100 million. In June 2023, the United States Department of Defense signed a contract with SpaceX to pay for Starlink's use in Ukraine.

Starlink and Iran

In 2021, the Iranian government complained that SpaceX was operating Starlink in Iran without permission. In 2023 and 2024, an international organization ruled in favor of Iran. They said SpaceX should check where its terminals are located. Iran showed that SpaceX could tell where its terminals were, by quoting a tweet from Musk about 100 Starlink terminals in Iran.

Starlink in the Israel–Hamas War

In October 2023, after the Israel–Hamas conflict started, people asked Elon Musk to activate Starlink in Gaza. This was because internet service in the region was lost. Musk said Starlink would be provided for aid groups in Gaza. Later, Musk said Starlink service would only be provided with Israel's approval.

Where Starlink is Available

To offer satellite internet in a country, SpaceX needs permission from that country's government. Even though Starlink satellites cover most of the world, services are only available in countries that have approved it. As of September 2022, Starlink was available in 40 countries.

Canada was the first country outside the US to approve Starlink in November 2020. Service started there in January 2021.

In May 2022, Starlink came to the Philippines, its first country in Asia. This was possible because of a new law that allowed foreign companies to own internet services.

In August 2022, SpaceX signed its first contract to provide internet for cruise ships. Royal Caribbean Group plans to add Starlink to 50 of its ships. Starlink also plans to offer service on private jet flights and Hawaiian Airlines flights.

In June 2023, Zambia gave Starlink a license to offer internet services. In October 2023, Starlink officially started working in Zambia. Mongolia also gave SpaceX licenses in July 2023.

Japan's mobile provider, KDDI, partnered with SpaceX to expand internet access in rural areas using Starlink.

In April 2024, Starlink received its license to operate in Indonesia and plans to start trial service in May.

Countries with Starlink availability

#	Continent	Country/Territory	Debut	Notes
1	Americas	United States  Puerto Rico  United States Virgin Islands  Guam  Northern Mariana Islands	Limited trials August 2020, public beta November 2020	Service expanded to Guam and Northern Mariana Islands in November 2023
2	Americas	Canada	January 2021
3	Europe	United Kingdom  Pitcairn Islands	January 2021	Free trial in Pitcairn Islands started in November 2022.
4	Europe	Germany	March 2021
5	Oceania	New Zealand	April 2021
6	Oceania	Australia	April 2021
7	Europe	France  Saint Martin  Saint Barthélemy  Guadeloupe  Martinique	Original debut May 2021, Revoked April 2022, Re-approved June 2022	Approval originally given in February 2021 but the Conseil d'État annulled that Decision on 5 April 2022 due to lack of public consultation. Approval was given again after consultation was completed on 2 June 2022. Service expanded to Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy in July 2022. Service expanded to Martinique and Guadeloupe in September 2022.
8	Europe	Austria	May 2021
9	Europe	Netherlands	May 2021
10	Europe	Belgium	May 2021
11	Europe	Ireland	Limited trials April 2021, public beta July 2021
12	Europe	Denmark	July 2021	Autonomous territories Faroe Islands and Greenland not covered
13	Europe	Portugal	August 2021
14	Europe	Switzerland	August 2021
15	Americas	Chile  Easter Island	Limited trials July 2021, public beta September 2021	Service expanded to Easter Island in November 2022.
16	Europe	Poland	September 2021
17	Europe	Italy	September 2021
18	Europe	Czech Republic	September 2021
19	Europe	Sweden	October 2021
20	Americas	Mexico	November 2021
21	Europe	Croatia	November 2021
22	Europe	Lithuania	December 2021
23	Europe	Spain	January 2022
24	Europe	Slovakia	January 2022
25	Europe	Slovenia	January 2022
26	Oceania	Tonga	February 2022	Emergency relief provided one month after the 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai eruption and tsunami, ground station established in neighboring Fiji for six months
27	Americas	Brazil	January 2022
28	Europe	Bulgaria	February 2022
29	Europe	Ukraine	February 2022	Initially supplied as emergency relief in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. See Starlink satellite services in Ukraine.
30	Europe	Romania	April 2022
31	Europe	Greece	April 2022
32	Europe	Latvia	April 2022
33	Europe	Hungary	May 2022
34	Europe	North Macedonia	June 2022
35	Europe	Luxembourg	July 2022
36	Americas	Dominican Republic	July 2022
37	Europe	Moldova	August 2022
38	Europe	Estonia	August 2022
39	Europe	Norway	August 2022
40	Europe	Malta	September 2022
41	Asia	Iran	September 2022	Activated in response to Iranian censorship as a result of Iranian protests against compulsory hijab.
42	Asia	Japan	October 2022	First in Asia.
43	Americas	Jamaica	October 2022
44	Europe	Finland	November 2022	Åland Islands not covered. Starlink has not filed the separate application required.
45	Americas	Barbados	November 2022
46	Americas	Peru	January 2023
47	Africa	Nigeria	January 2023	First in Africa.
48	Americas	Colombia	January 2023
49	Europe	Iceland	February 2023
50	Africa	Rwanda	February 2023
51	Asia	Philippines	February 2023
52	Americas	Haiti	March 2023
53	Americas	Ecuador	March 2023
54	Americas	El Salvador	April 2023
55	Americas	Panama	May 2023
56	Africa	Mozambique	June 2023
57	Americas	Trinidad and Tobago	June 2023
58	Europe	Cyprus	July 2023
59	Americas	Guatemala	July 2023
60	Africa	Kenya	July 2023
61	Asia	Malaysia	July 2023
62	Africa	Malawi	July 2023
63	Americas	Bahamas	August 2023
64	Africa	Zambia	October 2023
65	Europe	Georgia	November 2023
66	Africa	Benin	November 2023
67	Asia	Maldives	November 2023
68	Americas	Costa Rica	November 2023
69	Americas	Honduras	December 2023
70	Africa	Eswatini	December 2023
71	Americas	Paraguay	December 2023
72	Asia	Mongolia	March 2024
73	Americas	Argentina	March 2024
74	Europe	Albania	April 2024
75	Oceania	Micronesia	April 2024
76	Americas	Uruguay	May 2024

How Starlink Works

The Satellites

Starlink satellites are small, weighing between 227 and 1250 kilograms. They fly in low Earth orbit (LEO), much closer to Earth than older satellites. This helps them provide faster internet. SpaceX plans for thousands of these satellites to work together.

The satellites use special antennas and laser links to talk to each other and to Earth. They are built in large numbers to keep costs low. Elon Musk wants to do for satellites what SpaceX did for rockets: make them cheaper and more common.

Older internet satellites in high orbits cause a delay of about 600 milliseconds. Starlink satellites are much closer, so their delay is only 25 to 35 milliseconds. This is similar to regular cable internet.

Starlink satellites use special engines called Hall-effect thrusters. These engines use krypton or argon gas to move the satellites. They help the satellites get to their correct orbit, stay in place, and fall back to Earth when their mission is over.

User Terminals

Starlink satellites don't connect directly to phones. Instead, they link to flat user terminals, about the size of a pizza box. These terminals have special antennas that track the satellites. You can set them up anywhere as long as they have a clear view of the sky. They can even work on moving objects like trains.

Elon Musk once said the terminals look like a "UFO on a stick." They have motors that automatically adjust to find the best angle to see the sky. People inside SpaceX call the antenna "Dishy McFlatface."

In October 2020, SpaceX started a paid test service called "Better Than Nothing Beta." It cost $499 for the terminal. The service promised speeds of 50 to 150 megabits per second. This test service later expanded to other countries.

There's also a larger, more powerful antenna for the Starlink Business service. SpaceX has also asked for permission to put terminals on its ships to enter the maritime market.

Ground Stations

SpaceX has applied for many ground stations in the United States. These stations are like large antennas on the ground that help the satellites connect to the internet. A typical ground station has nine large antennas in a fenced area. SpaceX plans to put some of its ground stations at Google data centers around the world.

Satellite Updates

SpaceX has made several versions of its Starlink satellites:

• Tintin A and B: These were two test satellites launched in 2018. They helped SpaceX test its satellite technology.
• v0.9 (Test): Launched in May 2019, these satellites were flat and had a single solar panel. They weighed 227 kg and used krypton engines. They were designed to burn up almost completely in Earth's atmosphere at the end of their lives.
• v1.0 (Operational): Launched since November 2019, these satellites weighed 260 kg. They were designed to burn up completely in the atmosphere. Some had a special coating to make them less bright, but this caused other problems. Later versions included visors to block sunlight.
• v1.5 (Operational): Launched since January 2021, these satellites weighed about 295 kg. They included lasers for talking to other satellites. The visors were removed from satellites launched after September 2021.
• Starshield (Operational): These are military satellites based on v1.5 and v2.0 designs. They can carry secret government or military equipment.
• v2.0 (Initial Deployment): SpaceX is building these new satellites. Elon Musk says they will be much better at providing internet. The full-sized v2.0 satellites are too big for the Falcon 9 rocket and need the larger SpaceX Starship to launch. However, SpaceX also made smaller "V2 Mini" versions that can launch on Falcon 9.

The V2 Mini satellites are heavier and larger than the v1.5 satellites. They have two solar panels and can offer much more internet capacity. The first V2 Mini satellites launched in February 2023. Some V2 Mini satellites also have a special antenna that lets T-Mobile cell phones connect directly to them.

Launches and Satellite Groups

SpaceX has launched over 6,000 Starlink satellites since 2018. This includes test satellites and some that didn't work as planned. In March 2020, SpaceX was building six satellites every day.

The first group of 1,440 satellites was planned to be in 72 different paths around Earth. SpaceX launched the first 60 satellites in May 2019. They hoped to launch enough satellites for continuous coverage by 2020.

SpaceX also plans to launch Starlink satellites using their new, much larger rocket, SpaceX Starship. This rocket can carry many more of the bigger Starlink v2.0 satellites at once.

Satellite Network Design

In 2017, SpaceX planned a second group of over 7,500 satellites. These were meant to orbit at a very low altitude of 340 kilometers. But by 2022, SpaceX changed these plans and focused on a new design for its second-generation (Gen2) network.

In 2018, SpaceX got approval to launch 7,518 more satellites, in addition to the 4,425 already approved. However, the plans for the 7,518 satellites were later changed. SpaceX also asked to move about 1,600 of its first satellites to a lower orbit of 550 kilometers. This would create a third group of satellites. The government approved this in April 2019. In total, nearly 12,000 satellites were planned, with a possible extension to 42,000.

In 2019, SpaceX also asked for permission to test up to a million ground terminals. These would be used by people connecting to the Starlink system.

In October 2019, SpaceX asked for spectrum for 30,000 more Starlink satellites. That same month, Elon Musk used Starlink to post his first tweet, showing the network was working.

First Generation Satellites

This group includes all the v0.9 and first-generation satellites.

Phase	Group designation	Orbital shells		Orbital planes			Committed completion date		Deployed satellites 4 November 2023
		Altitude (km)	Authorized satellites	Incli­nation	Count	Satellites per	Half	Full	Active	Decaying/ deorbited	Satellites needed for completion
1	Group 1	550 km (340 mi)	1584	53.0°	72	22	March 2024 (aimed) 1 August 2022 (achieved)	March 2027	1445	280	139
	Group 2	570 km (350 mi)	720	70°	36	20			403	5	317
	Group 3	560 km (350 mi)	348	97.6°	6	58			233	10	115
	Group 4	540 km (340 mi)	1584	53.2°	72	22			1566	71	18
		560 km (350 mi)	172	97.6°	4	43			0	0	172
2		335.9 km (208.7 mi)	2493	42.0°			November 2024	November 2027	0
		340.8 km (211.8 mi)	2478	48.0°					0
		345.6 km (214.7 mi)	2547	53.0°					0

SpaceX changed its plans in 2020 to put more satellites in lower orbits. The first group of 1,440 satellites still orbits at 550 kilometers. In January 2021, SpaceX launched its first Starlink satellites into polar orbits. This broke a record for the most satellites launched in one mission.

In February 2022, 49 Starlink satellites were launched. A strong solar storm happened the next day, making the atmosphere thicker. This caused 38 of the satellites to fall back to Earth and burn up. The remaining 11 were able to raise their orbits and survive.

Second Generation Satellites

Phase	Group designation	Orbital shells			Orbital planes			Committed completion date		Deployed satellites 31 March 2024
		Nominal altitude	Actual altitude (km)	Planned satellites	Incli­nation	Count	Satellites per	Half	Full	Active	Decaying/ deorbited	Satellites needed for completion
1	Group 5	530 km (330 mi)	559	2500	43°	28	120	1 December 2028	1 December 2031	692	7	690
	Group 6		559, 488							1089	22
	Group 7	525 km (326 mi)	510, 482, 549	2500	53°	28	120			388	1	2111
	Group 8	535 km (332 mi)	535 km (332 mi)	2500	53°	28	120			21	0	2479

Since the larger Starship rocket is still being developed, SpaceX made a smaller version of the second-generation satellites called "V2 Mini." These can be launched by the Falcon 9 rocket. The first 21 V2 Mini satellites launched on February 27, 2023. These V2 Mini satellites have two solar panels and offer much more internet capacity.

Starlink's Impact on Space

Light Pollution in the Sky

Many astronomers are concerned about the large number of Starlink satellites. They worry that the satellites are too bright in the sky. This can make it hard to observe stars and galaxies. It also affects radio telescopes.

Astronomers can try to avoid pointing their telescopes where satellites are. But this is becoming harder as more satellites are launched. Major astronomy groups have shared their concerns.

SpaceX and Elon Musk first said the satellites would not have a big impact. But astronomers found that the early Starlink satellites were quite bright. Elon Musk later said SpaceX would try to make the satellites less bright. They also offered to adjust satellite positions for important astronomy projects.

One Starlink satellite, called DarkSat, was launched with a special coating to make it dimmer. But astronomers found it was still too bright.

In 2020, SpaceX said they would test new ways to reduce light pollution. They also offered to share satellite tracking data with astronomers. Elon Musk announced a new sunshade design for the satellites. By October 2020, over 200 satellites had sunshades. A study in 2021 found these satellites were still somewhat bright.

In February 2022, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) created a center to help astronomers deal with these issues. They are developing tools and policies. In June 2022, the IAU launched a website to help astronomers track satellites. This helps them plan observations to avoid satellite interference.

The new Generation 2 satellites, called "Mini," launched in February 2023. Even though they are four times larger, they are fainter than the first-generation satellites. This is because SpaceX uses a mirror-like surface and positions the solar panels to reflect sunlight away from Earth.

Radio Interference

In October 2023, a study found that Starlink satellites were "leaking radio signals." These signals were brighter than any natural radio source in the sky at a future radio telescope site. The study concluded that these signals could harm important science goals unless fixed.

Risk of Collisions in Space

The large number of Starlink satellites increases the risk of crashes in space. These crashes could create more space debris. This could lead to a chain reaction called Kessler syndrome, where more collisions create even more debris. SpaceX says most of its satellites are launched at a lower height. If a satellite fails, it should fall back to Earth within five years without needing its engines.

Early in the program, a Starlink satellite almost crashed into a European satellite. SpaceX later fixed a problem with its communication system. The European Space Agency (ESA) plans to invest in technology to automatically avoid satellite collisions.

In 2021, Chinese authorities complained to the United Nations. They said their space station had to move twice to avoid Starlink satellites. They said the constantly moving Starlink satellites were a danger to astronauts.

All these issues have led to warnings from US government agencies like NASA. They are concerned about the impact on low Earth orbit, increased collision risk, and effects on science missions.

SpaceX satellites will move if there is a 1 in 100,000 chance of a collision. This is much safer than the industry standard of 1 in 10,000. SpaceX plans for its new satellites to perform about 5,000 maneuvers during their lifetime. This includes about 350 collision avoidance maneuvers per satellite.

As of May 2022, Starlink satellites performed fewer than three collision-avoidance maneuvers on average over six months. Over 1,700 maneuvers were done to avoid debris from a Russian satellite called Kosmos 1408.

Starlink's Competitors

Starlink is not the only company building satellite internet.

• OneWeb is another company that started launching its satellites in 2020.
• China has its own planned national satellite internet project.
• Kuiper Systems is a planned network of 3,276 satellites by Amazon.
• Other companies like Hughes Network Systems and Viasat also provide satellite internet.
• O3b is a network of satellites in a higher orbit that provides internet to mobile phone companies.

In 2015, financial experts wondered how older satellite companies would compete with new LEO satellite systems like Starlink and OneWeb. By 2017, the promise of more satellite internet capacity caused some companies to cancel plans for new, older-style satellites.

In 2021, a group representing traditional rural internet providers questioned the money given to Starlink. They argued that Starlink was getting money for areas that weren't truly rural. They also said Starlink's technology was still in testing and unproven.

Starlink has also faced issues with its name in some countries, like Mexico and Ukraine.

Images for kids

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  The Starlink constellation, phase 1, first orbital shell: 72 orbits with 22 each, therefore 1584 satellites at 550 km altitude

See also

In Spanish: Starlink para niños