SpaceX paused Starlink launches to give its internet satellites lasers

[Judi Lynn]

By Chelsea Gohd about 7 hours ago

There's a reason for the recent lull.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — SpaceX hasn't launched any Starlink internet satellites since June. It turns out it's because the company Mas been adding "lasers" to the spacecraft.

Since it last launched a batch of Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit on June 30, SpaceX has been quiet about what's next for the constellation. With Starlink launches happening frequently in the first half of 2021, this pause raised questions. On Tuesday (Aug. 24), at the 36th annual Space Symposium here, SpaceX President and chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell explained the break.

"We're flying a number of laser terminals right now in space," Shotwell said, adding that SpaceX is now working to integrate lasers into all of its Starlink satellites.

"That's why we have been struggling for six or eight weeks — we wanted the next set to have laser terminals on them," Shotwell said.

More:
https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-internet-satellites-lasers-launch?utm_source=notification

[Hokie]

1. The lasers will allow signals to go from satallite to satellite

Currently the data has to go to a satellite and then back to a ground station. With the lasers the satellites will be able to communicate with each other directly. This will take the load off the ground stations and increase the system capacity.

I have mixed feelings about Starlink. I hate that it is screwing with astro-photography and has the potential to cause a catastrophic amount of space junk in low earth orbit. However, it has the potential to revolutionize world wide access to the Internet.

[CentralMass]

2. Satellites with fricken laser beams.

[2naSalit]

3. So we can start fires too...

Just like Israel!

Dun dun dun!