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France Media AgencyJune 01, 2019 18:47:50 IST
SpaceX said Friday that the f60 first satellites in its "Starlink" constellation, which is intended to provide the Internet from space, will be less and less visible from Earth as they reach their final orbit.
The Elon Musk company has created an event not to be missed for space enthusiasts: it launched the 60 satellites simultaneously on May 23 – a series of bright lights rising into the night sky.
Over the past week, several observers have photographed and filmed the satellite line, which is passing in minutes.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launching SpaceX's two Starlink test satellites in 2018. Image: SpaceX
But astronomers worry that the constellation of broadband satellites, which could reach 12,000 people a day, spoils the scientific observation of the sky by telescopes.
Until now, Musk had downplayed the concerns expressed – gaining critics along the way.
But Friday, the company seemed to solve the problem.
SpaceX announced that "the 60 satellites have successfully deployed their solar panels, generated positive energy and communicated with our ground stations".
But the statement then stated that "the observability of Starlink satellites is drastically reduced as they go into orbit at a greater distance and orient themselves."
The satellites were released at the same time by a Falcon 9 rocket at an altitude of 450 km. They gradually separated from each other and deployed the solar panels.
Over the next three to four weeks, each will be placed in a relatively low orbit of 550 km (340 miles).
Scientists had already noted that they were less visible in recent days.
Starlink will be operational once 800 satellites have been activated, which will require a dozen additional launches.
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