SpaceX launched 21 Starlink internet satellites into low-earth orbit on a Falcon 9 rocket on Friday, Sept. 20. With the right night-time weather conditions, it’s possible to see a few satellites in this mega-constellation.
Soon after deployment, some SpaceX launches appear as a “Starlink satellite train” which is only visible at low orbit.
SpaceX has recently had frequent launches. This includes sending five Bluebird smartphone satellites to orbit for AST SpaceMobile on Wednesday.
It also returned the crew of the Polaris Dawn private mission back to Earth on Sept. 10.
SpaceX launched more than 90 missions to space this year.
Starlink Mega-Constellation
The latest launch included 13 satellites equipped with Direct to Cell technology.
Some other SpaceX missions for this booster have included a couple of Transporter launches, which send satellites for multiple clients to space at the same time, as well as national security missions for the National Reconnaissance Office.
More than 6,300 Starlink satellites are currently in-orbit and operational, according to the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics which tracks space launches.
The Starlink Equation
According to the online NASA Spaceflight website the mega-constellation developed by the private space agency is currently planning to put up to 42,000 satellites in orbit.
