Finally, SpaceX does not want 12,000 but 42,000 satellites in its constellation

Washington (AFP)

SpaceX has filed a request for frequencies for 30,000 satellites in addition to 12,000 already planned, confirmed Wednesday the US space company and a UN agency.

The US Communications Administration (FCC) has transmitted to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva on October 7, 20 requests for each 1,500 satellites, confirmed to AFP Alexandre Vallet, Chief of Space Services to the ITU.

On the ITU site, 20 technical requests can be consulted. ITU coordinates the radio spectrum and satellite orbits globally.

A SpaceX spokesperson did not directly confirm the number but said the company was taking "steps to expand the Starlink network's total capacity and data density, in order to meet the anticipated growth in consumer needs" .

Starlink will be a constellation of mini-satellites providing high speed internet on Earth. The principle is that they will be at a relatively low altitude (550 km for the first), providing a quick response time. The grid of the sky by the satellites will be such that many will be in direct line from any point on the globe.

SpaceX launched the first 60 in May, and says the constellation will be operational for Canada and the North of the United States next year.

According to the company, it will take 24 launches before the rest of the world is covered.

There are today a little more than 2,100 active satellites orbiting the Earth, about 23,000 objects cataloged in orbit (rocket floors, inactive satellites, debris ...).

The prospect of adding 42,000 to the sky creates a double concern.

On the one hand, astronomers fear that these constellations spoil observations by telescopes from Earth. When the first satellite train was launched, multiple astronomers photographed a trail of bright spots. SpaceX indicates that the base of the next satellites will be black in order to limit the phenomenon.

The second concern is the congestion of low Earth orbits, that is to say up to 1,500 or 2,000 km.

SpaceX said that 3 of its top 60 satellites, or 5%, were out of service one month after launch. The company says it has devices to "desorb" failed satellites and avoid collisions with other satellites.

But an incident showed last month that the proceedings were not yet developed.

© 2019 AFP