Each Starlink satellite is equipped with 4 phased array antennas, for high bandwidth and low-latency communication, and two parabolic antennas. This is near the recoverable payload capacity of the Falcon 9 to LEO, around 16 tonnes.Īs small as each Starlink satellite is, each one is packed with high-tech communication and cost-saving technology. Due to this flat design, SpaceX is able to fit up to 60 Starlink satellites and the payload dispenser into the second stage, while still being able to recover the first stage. SpaceX developed a flat-panel design, allowing them to fit as many satellites as possible into the Falcon 9’s 5.2 meter wide payload fairing. (Credit: SpaceX) What Is The Starlink Satellite?Įach Starlink V1.5 satellite has a compact design and a mass of 306 kg. This profit will largely finance SpaceX’s ambitious Starship program, as well as Mars Base Alpha.Ī stack of 60 Starlink V1.0 satellites prior to be encapsulated into Falcon 9’s payload fairing. Once Starlink is complete, the venture is expected to profit $30-50 billion annually. After 28 launches SpaceX achieved near-global coverage, but the constellation will not be complete until ~42,000 satellites are in orbit. Starlink is currently in the “Better Than Nothing Beta,” allowing anyone in approved regions to order or preorder. The low-Earth orbit constellation will deliver fast, low-latency internet service to locations where ground-based internet is unreliable, unavailable, or expensive. The first phase of the constellation consists of 5 orbital shells. Starlink is SpaceX’s internet communication satellite constellation. This mission was the first launch to the fourth Starlink shell roughly 30 launches will be required to fill this shell. Starlink Group 4-1 marked the 30th operational Starlink mission, boosting the total number of Starlink satellites launched to 1,844, of which 1,720 are still in orbit around the Earth. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, in Florida, United States. SpaceX’s Starlink Group 4-1 mission successfully launched 53 Starlink satellites atop the Falcon 9 rocket. – 111th orbital launch attempt of 2021 (104th successful) – 69th Falcon 9 flight with a flight proven booster – 100th consecutive successful Falcon 9 mission No, the active fairing half supported two previous missions and the passive half supported two The fairing halves were recovered from the water ~665 km downrange by Bob ~620 km downrange on Just Read the Instructionsĭid they attempt to recover the fairings?

Starlink Shell 4 540 km circular low-Earth orbit (LEO)ĭid they attempt to recover the first stage? Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA Starlink Group 4-1 the first launch to Starlink shell 4įalcon 9 Block 5, booster B1058-9 182 day turn around time Featured image credit: SpaceX Lift Off Time

Falcon 9 second stage