How will Starlink satellites work ?

Starlink satellites are relatively small compared to others in orbit. The unit is about the size of an office desk, weighing +- 260kg). Each satellite features a single solar array and 4 powerful phased array antennas.

For propulsion purposes the satellites are equipped with ion thrusters, powered by krypton that enables the satellites to orbit, raise, maneuver in space, and deorbit at the end of their life.

Each Starlink satellite will communicate with four other satellites using lasers, however it seems that the earlier satellites do not have this capability. The laser links seem to be planned for this year.

Similar to satellite TV, customers will gain access to their Starlink internet service with an antenna that will have to be installed somewhere on or around the premises. SpaceX has secured the approval of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deploy up to a million ground antennas for this purpose. The license details that each ground antenna is 0.48 meters in diameter, or just under 19 inches across.

Elon Musk referred to the antenna as “a UFO on a stick.”

The SpaceX founder also said these devices are very easy to install and use. “It’s very important that you don’t need a specialist to install. The goal is for … just two instructions and they can be done in either order: Point at sky, plug in

References:

https://www.starlink.com/

https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/s/starlink

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/20/fcc-approves-spacex-to-deploy-1-million-antennas-for-starlink-internet.html




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