SpaceX is able to broaden its satellite-internet constellation as soon as once more.
SpaceX‘s forty eighth launch of 2022 will function a set of 54 Starlink satellites, that are scheduled to experience to orbit on Thursday (Oct. 20) at 10:50 a.m. EDT (1450 GMT). You’ll be able to watch stay right here at Area.com, courtesy of SpaceX. Protection will start about 5 minutes earlier than liftoff.
A Falcon 9 rocket will bear the Starlink Group 4-36 satellites aloft from Area Launch Advanced 40 at Cape Canaveral Area Drive Station in Florida. The Falcon 9’s first stage will contact down rather less than 9 minutes later at sea atop a SpaceX droneship, if all goes in keeping with plan. The satellites will deploy into low Earth orbit 15.5 minutes after liftoff.
Associated: SpaceX rocket launch with Starlink fleet thrills stargazers along US East Coast
Starlink is a constellation of web satellites constructed primarily to offer service for distant areas. The community is large and ever-growing; with greater than 3,100 estimated operational satellites (opens in new tab) in orbit, SpaceX has hopes to broaden that by tenfold pending regulatory approval.
Starlink service has confirmed essential to besieged Ukrainians through the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, and SpaceX lately pledged to keep funding the constellation’s Ukraine service after initially saying the Pentagon ought to assist bear the associated fee.
SpaceX had a then-record 31 launches in 2021 and is near reaching 50 already in 2022, with greater than two months left within the calendar yr. A lot of this yr’s launches have been dedicated to Starlink, however others have despatched NASA astronauts to the International Space Station and lofted U.S. navy satellites, amongst different duties.
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