Starlink

Mission Profile

Starlink is SpaceX's commercial broadband internet satellite constellation, beginning operations with the first batch of 60 satellites launched on 24 May 2019 aboard a Falcon 9, and growing to over 7,000 operational satellites by 2026 — the largest satellite constellation in history by a wide margin. The flat-panel satellites operate in low Earth orbit at approximately 550 km altitude, providing low-latency broadband internet to customers worldwide including in remote and rural areas, and have been widely deployed by Ukraine during its conflict with Russia. Starlink's density has raised significant concerns among astronomers about optical interference with ground-based observatories, as the constellation produces visible streaks in long-exposure astronomical images. The revenue from Starlink is intended to fund SpaceX's broader ambitions including Starship development and eventual Mars colonization.