SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is offering a first look at the new satellites that’ll be used for the company’s upcoming second-generation Starlink network.
On Sunday, Musk took an internal presentation he gave to SpaceX and re-posted the clip on Twitter. The video offers an update on the various projects the company has been working on, including the internet satellite system Starlink.
According to the clip, version 2.0 of the Starlink satellite is already in production. The presentation goes on to show a CG-recreation of SpaceX launching a batch of second-generation Starlink satellites using the company’s upcoming Starship craft, which is scheduled to make its first orbital flight soon, pending an FAA environmental review of its launch site.
The presentation didn’t offer any technical specs on the satellites. But in the past, SpaceX has said the next-generation Starlink satellites will be upgraded to offer faster internet speeds at lower latency. The network can also serve a larger number of users and reduce network congestion.
In addition, the company’s Starship craft promises to deploy the satellites at a faster clip since it can carry as many as 400 satellites per launch, a huge increase from the 60 satellites a typical SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket can carry.
Interestingly, the Starship craft is also designed to release the second-generation Starlink satellites into Earth's orbit a bit like a PEZ candy dispenser. The Falcon 9 rockets, on the other hand, will release Starlink satellites in a large batch once in orbit.
SpaceX has already launched over half of the satellites for the first-generation Starlink network, which is supplying high-speed broadband to over 400,000 subscribers. But to serve millions of users, the company is preparing a second-gen Starlink network that’s been designed to span nearly 30,000 satellites, a massive increase from the 2,000+ satellites currently up in orbit.
However, the company still needs to secure regulatory approval from the FCC before it can launch the second-generation Starlink network, which is facing opposition from rival companies over concerns the massive satellite network will crowd out the competition.