The SpaceX Starlink is a satellite constellation being
constructed by American company SpaceX to provide satellite Internet access.The
constellation will consist of thousands of mass-produced small satellites,
working in combination with ground transceivers. SpaceX also plans to sell some
of the satellites for military, scientific or exploratory purposes.
This bunch of satellites could be viewed from earth from time to time as it passes above geographic locations. The Sri Lankan public will also get their fair share of viewing when the bunch of satellites pass over Sri Lanka.
The visibility could be low based on condition of the sky above Colombo. Shouldn't be an issue to rest of the Island. Hence, recommend using Binoculars for better viewing.
The times will be shared via SMS service. To register to the SMS service, type sky and SMS to 77000 on Dialog, Airtel, Hutch or Etisalat phone.
The visibility could be low based on condition of the sky above Colombo. Shouldn't be an issue to rest of the Island. Hence, recommend using Binoculars for better viewing.
The times will be shared via SMS service. To register to the SMS service, type sky and SMS to 77000 on Dialog, Airtel, Hutch or Etisalat phone.
Starlink constellation, phase 1, first orbital shell: 72
orbits with 22 each, 1,584 satellites at 550 km altitude.
As of January 2020, SpaceX has deployed 242 satellites. They
plan to deploy 60 more per Falcon 9 launch, with launches as often as every two
weeks after late 2019. In total, nearly 12,000 satellites will be deployed by
the mid-2020s, with a possible later extension to 42,000. The initial 12,000
satellites are planned to orbit in three orbital shells: first placing
approximately 1,600 in a 550-kilometer-altitude (340 mi) shell, then
approximately 2,800 Ku- and Ka-band spectrum satellites at 1,150 km (710 mi)
and approximately 7,500 V-band satellites at 340 km (210 mi). Commercial
operation could begin in 2020.
Concerns have been raised about the long-term danger of
space junk resulting from placing thousands of satellites in orbits above 1,000
kilometres (620 mi) and a possible impact on astronomy, although SpaceX is
reportedly attempting to solve the issue.
The total cost of the decade-long project to design, build
and deploy the constellation was estimated by SpaceX in May 2018 to be about
US$10 billion. Product development began in 2015, with the first two prototype
test-flight satellites launched in February 2018. A second set of test
satellites and the first large deployment of a piece of the constellation
occurred on 24 May 2019 (UTC) when the first 60 operational satellites were
launched. The SpaceX satellite development facility in Redmond, Washington,
houses the Starlink research, development, manufacturing and on-orbit control
operations.
