SpaceX to Launch Starlink Satellites Every Week to Build Second-Gen Network
To build its second-generation Starlink network, SpaceX is aiming to conduct frequent rocket launches—weekly to start, but potentially ramping up to once every few days.
SpaceX mentioned the plan in a Tuesday FCC filing about the second-generation constellation, which will span nearly 30,000 satellites, a huge increase from the 4,408 first-gen Starlink satellites SpaceX is currently authorized to operate in low-orbit.
“Although its specific launch cadence is being finalized, SpaceX anticipates launching satellites into the Gen2 constellation at a rate of at least once per week during 2023, with a more rapid cadence over time,” the company said.
The filing also mentions that SpaceX plans on using its more powerful Starship vehicle to carry 50 to 100 second-gen Starlink satellites into orbit per launch. That’s a significant decrease from the 400 satellite-per-launch estimate SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell gave(Opens in a new window) back in 2019, although the size of the second-generation satellites has drastically increased.
According to the FCC filing, SpaceX also plans on relying on the Falcon 9 rocket to launch some second-gen Starlink satellites, which will likely be smaller in size. These rockets will deploy 20 to 60 Starlink satellites per launch.
The other notable part of the FCC filing is that it seems to list the specs for the second-generation Starlink satellites, including their mass. But these numbers have likely been inflated to avoid leaking details to competitors.
SpaceX listed the specs as part of an earlier(Opens in a new window) probability-collision analysis in August that used “conservative” figures to show that even a 2,000 kilogram (4,409 pound) second-gen Starlink satellite could still meet
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