The new SpaceX Starlink satellites have captured the imaginations of astronomers worldwide and have sparked some awe. One recent Geek Wire article suggests that 400 to 500 of these satellites will be visible all the time, even if they’re in low earth orbit. If that is true, what are the benefits of a constellation like this? Here’s what you need to know.
The Starlink constellation has satellites that orbit much closer to Earth than other satellite internet constellations. They’re positioned at about two hundred and six hundred kilometers above the earth’s equator, compared to the 36,000-kilometer-high geostationary orbit, the preferred location for telecommunications satellites. The European Space Agency defines low-Earth orbit as any altitude between 100 and 621 miles.
The Starlink constellation is designed to include hundreds of small satellites in low Earth orbit. These satellites will provide broadband services and coverage for the entire planet, and ground stations will be used to relay data. By October 24, 2020, there will be 893 Starlink satellites in 550-km orbit. The next two generations of satellites will be in 1,110-km and 340-km orbits, respectively. In the meantime, the infrastructure to support this new constellation will be completed.
According to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, the constellation of communication satellites has an elliptical orbit, allowing the satellites to move to a more convenient position for communications. This is a highly desirable location for communications and weather monitoring. The spacecraft may drift north or south, but they are still in the same orbit. This means that they may experience slight variations in their position over time.
In addition to being geosynchronous, the Starlink satellites will also be operating in a very low Earth orbit, which is about 335-350 kilometers above the Earth’s equator. Because they’re orbiting Earth, they will not fall out of the sky. The weight of the Earth will tug at the satellites thousands of miles away, but the momentum of the launch will keep them in the orbit.
The starlink satellites are a relatively new type of spacecraft that have been tested and launched in recent years. The company’s new Starlink satellites are geosynchronous when they’re at their highest. In addition, they’re designed to be extremely durable, with the first generation of the constellation expected to last about four years. They also need to be able to withstand strong gravitational fields.
In the same vein, the Starlink constellation is designed to be weather-proof and can operate with imperfect weather. While this may pose a challenge for the satellite network’s users, it has proved that it can work in these conditions. However, the Starlink system has the ability to overcome rain fade, which is a common phenomenon on all microwave RF links. This effect will occur on either end of the link, so rain-reduction efforts are essential.
The Starlink constellation’s orbit is much closer to the earth than other constellations of satellite internet. Traditional telecommunications satellites are placed in low-Earth orbit, which is about three thousand kilometers above the equator. Unlike low-earth orbit, the Starlink constellation’s orbit is not geosynchronous, but it crosses the Earth’s equator. In addition, the satellites will not cross the visible sky for more than a few minutes at a time.
The starlink satellites are much closer to the Earth than other constellations of satellite internet. For this reason, they’re more susceptible to the effects of rain, which reduces the strength of the microwave RF signal. In some cases, this can affect signals both at the gateway and at the user terminal. But if the latter is prone to rain, the latter will be stronger. The two types of constellations have different degrees of geosynchronousity.
While a geosynchronous orbit is advantageous to satellites, it is not the best for earth-bound objects. The geostationary orbit is also a good place for space junk, which is dangerous. Because of this, the satellites that are in low-earth orbit are constantly under the risk of collisions. Moreover, the satellites are in a better position to be observed by people than those that are in low-earth orbit.