Starlink might just be the future of the internet, thanks to its groundbreaking technology and the ability to transmit internet to just about anywhere on the globe. However, for the technology to be fully operational, SpaceX would have to send 1000s of satellites into lower Earth orbit, something that the Elon Musk company has been inching towards by increasing the frequency of launches. Today, SpaceX has completed its fourth Starlink launch of March 2021, sending a total of 240 satellites into orbit in just one month.
This is a historical moment for the Elon Musk led company, as this is the first time that SpaceX has completed 4 launches in just under a month. A pace like this can help Starlink reach the farthest corners of the Earth in just a few years. The last launch took place on March 14, just about a week ago from today.
The batch of satellites (60 in total) was sent to orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket that took off from SpaceX’s launch site in Cape Canaveral in Florida. The rocket had been used in 5 launches before today, and was equipped with two refurbished fairing halves.
SpaceX’s idea of recycling old equipment (rockets, fairing halves) has not only helped the company cut down on costs (which is super important too), but also reduce time required between launches. This has played a huge role in today’s historical achievement, and it’s probable that the space company will break its own record in the very near future.
The company has already started taking pre orders in multiple countries, including India, where the service will arrive next year.
Starlink’s beta tests have shown promising results, offering great download and upload speeds.
Elon Musk has recently hinted that Starlink will go public as soon as it has a stable revenue, which means that very soon, the company can become a separate entity from SpaceX.
