Elon Musk's Starlink satellites and future internet plans

In 2014, Musk first revealed his desire to create a constellation of satellites. WorldVu was the company's original name, but the billionaire later abandoned it in favor of spinning off a satellite internet network through SpaceX, filing an application with the Federal Communications Commission in 2016 under the name "Starlink."

An average Starlink satellite lasts for five years, and SpaceX eventually plans to have up to 42,000 satellites in this 'megaconstellation'.

According to Musk, the title was influenced by John Green's novel "The Fault in Our Stars."

On one of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets, the company launched its first batch of 60 Starlink satellites into Earth's lower orbit in May 2019. Over 4,000 of the company's satellites are currently in orbit, and Musk has stated that he eventually wants to launch up to 42,000 satellites.

According to the company, Starlink satellites operate in Earth's lower orbit, which reduces the time lag between when the data is transferred to the receiver.

While most users report download speeds of over 100 Mbps, SpaceX claims its service has download speeds between 25 and 220 Mbps and upload speeds between 5 and 20 Mbps. These speeds are ideal for online activities like streaming and gaming.

In the US, the service runs about $599 for the hardware and $110 per month. Depending on the user's location, prices change. According to SpaceX, the Starlink service is accessible in 48 US states and more than 55 other nations. The business claimed to have more than 1.5 million subscribers in May.

Starlink is primarily designed for users in more rural areas, and over the past year, the company has started offering its service to cruise lines and airlines. Last year, the business also introduced a $135 monthly internet plan specifically for RV owners.

Musk declared that SpaceX and T-Mobile would collaborate in 2022 to "eliminate dead zones worldwide" and provide Starlink satellite service to the company's customers.

The company intends to start testing the mobile service within the year, according to Jonathan Hofeller, vice president of Starlink commercial sales at SpaceX, who made the announcement earlier this year.

When Russia attacked Ukraine without warning last year, Starlink was crucial in helping Ukraine defeat Russian cyberattacks.

During the beginning of the war, Musk sent the Ukraine thousands of Starlink internet kits.

However, earlier this year SpaceX made the decision to restrict Ukraine's use of Starlink for drone operations. Gwynne Shotwell, president of SpaceX, stated that the service "was never meant to be weaponized" in February.

Late last year, the rocket company also unveiled "Starshield," a Starlink branch with a military focus. The government agencies that are the target audience for the spinoff project will benefit from using Starlink's "technology and launch capability to support national security efforts."

Astronomers are increasingly worried about how Starlink will affect space light pollution and the possibility of satellite collisions as SpaceX expands its constellation of satellites.

NASA warned that Musk's plans to launch roughly 42,000 satellites in 2022 could affect NASA's missions, produce space debris, and raise the possibility of collisions.

SpaceX quickly responded to NASA's worries at the time, stating that its satellite network is more reliable than 99% and that it has put in place a "advanced collision avoidance system" that executes avoidance manoeuvres if there is a "greater than 1/100,000 probability of collision."

Astronomers are concerned about the size and scope of the Starlink project because they worry that the bright, orbiting objects will obstruct their ability to observe the cosmos, and spaceflight safety experts are also concerned because they now consider Starlink to be the main source of collision risk in Earth's orbit.

Additionally, some scientists are concerned that the amount of metal that will be burning up in the atmosphere as old satellites are deorbited may cause unforeseen changes to the climate of the planet.