Starlink is the name of a satellite network developed by private spaceflight company SpaceX to provide low-cost internet service to remote locations.
A Starlink satellite has a lifespan of about five years and SpaceX hopes that eventually this so-called mega-constellation will have 42,000 satellites.
According to Spaceflight Now, the current V2 Starlink satellite version weighs about 1,760 pounds (800 kilograms) at launch, which is about three times heavier than the older generation satellites (weighing 573 pounds or 260 kilograms).
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The size and scale of the Starlink project worries astronomers, who fear that bright, orbiting objects will hinder observations of the universe, as well as space flight safety experts who now view Starlink as the number one source of collision danger in Earth’s orbit. In addition, some scientists worry that the amount of metal burning in the Earth’s atmosphere of older satellites could bring unexpected changes to the planet’s climate.
The Starlink satellites orbit about 342 miles (550 kilometers) above Earth and offer a spectacular show to observers as they glide across the sky. The show doesn’t appeal to everyone and can significantly hinder both optical and radio astronomical observations.
You don’t need any special equipment to view Starlink satellites because they are visible to the naked eye. Satellites can appear as a string of pearls or a “train” of bright light in the night sky. Starlink satellites are easy to see a day or two after their launch and deployment, then gradually harder to see them as they climb to their final orbital altitude of about 342 miles (550 km).