We're used to SpaceX launching another batch of 60 Starlink satellites into space about every two weeks. You can turn on YouTube and watch another successful launch. But since the end of June, only one Falcon 9 has launched, loaded with communication satellites. To meet its target, SpaceX must launch at least 4 times a month. Otherwise, the constellation of 12,000 satellites will remain on paper. What's the matter? Has SpaceX run into problems?
Completion of the first phase of the Starlink project
SpaceX engineers decided it was time to wrap up Phase 1 and move on to Phase 2. Initially, Phase 1 was expected to put 12,000 satellites into orbit. But plans had to be changed.
Currently, exactly 1,800 spacecraft have been launched into low-Earth orbit under the Starlink program. Of these, 1,673 are in working order. And 1,420 officially belong to the b2b email list constellation. The rest are in the process of entering working orbit.
Another package of 60 Starlink satellites
This amount turned out to be enough to cover almost the entire surface of the Earth. The exception is the polar caps. In the last package in September, SpaceX sent a batch of satellites, the orbits of which will allow to completely cover the Arctic and Antarctic. Theoretically, the entire Earth is now covered, but the system does not work stably on the polar caps - there are few satellites. Although for polar scientists even this turned out to be quite enough.