Skip to Content
Space

SpaceX has launched the first 60 satellites of its space internet system

Starlink launch on Falcon 9 rocket for SpaceX
Starlink launch on Falcon 9 rocket for SpaceXAP

The satellite internet contest is heating up. SpaceX has launched the first 60 satellites of its internet constellation, Starlink.

The details: The Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 10:30 p.m. EST on Thursday night. The 60 satellites make up SpaceX’s heaviest payload to date, weighing about 500 pounds (227 kilograms) each. You can watch a video of the launch here.

Some background: SpaceX is one of many companies attempting to build up a global broadband internet network in low Earth orbit (LEO). The firm wants to launch nearly 12,000 satellites and plans to pick up the pace of deployment. The plan right now is to continue launching batches of 60 at a time, putting one to two thousand into orbit each year. Those kinds of numbers are prompting some concerns about clogging up orbit (“Why satellite mega-constellations are a threat to the future of space”).

The first of many: Other organizations, such as OneWeb, Amazon, Telesat, and LeoSat, are also planning to use vast numbers of lower-capacity LEO satellites to provide broadband internet connections to the globe. Each will use hundreds or thousands of the satellites, which will circle the Earth and beam internet to the surface. OneWeb launched the first of its hundreds of satellites earlier this year.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.

“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.

What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines

New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.

Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats

With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure

Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation

From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.