"Starlink": SpaceX satellites can be seen in the morning sky - now there are 300 satellites in space

The SpaceX satellites can again be observed in the sky above the Rhine-Main area.

• SpaceX now has 240 "Starlink" satellites in space , the company is the largest satellite operator
• In January a total of 120 satellites were launched into Earth orbit
• The problem that the satellites shine brightly in the night sky remains unsolved

Update from February 18, 2020, 6:00 a.m .: SpaceX launched another 60 "Starlink" satellites on Monday ( February 17, 2020 ) - orbiting 300 SpaceX satellites that are to offer fast internet in all corners of the world in the future , the earth. However, the rocket did not land this time.

At the moment you can still see “Starlink” satellites moving across the sky. Some observation times for the Rhine-Main area:

• February 18, 2020: 6.13 a.m., the satellites move from northwest to east (Starlink-3)
• February 18, 2020: 6:37 a.m., the SpaceX satellites fly from the southwest to the northeast (Starlink-2)
• February 19, 2020: 5.28 a.m., the "Starlink" light chain can be seen from southwest to east (Starlink-2)
• February 19, 2020: 6.37 a.m., the satellites fly from northwest to east (Starlink-3)
• February 20, 2020: 5.26 a.m., the "Starlink" satellites fly from northwest to east (Starlink-3)
• February 20, 2020: 5.53 a.m., the SpaceX satellites move from southwest to northeast (Starlink-2)
• February 20, 2020: 6.57 a.m., the satellites can be seen from southwest to east (Starlink-1)

Update from February 11, 2020, 2:15 p.m .: The “Starlink” satellites from SpaceX will soon be seen in the sky above the Rhine-Main area again. The observation data for the coming days:

• February 13, 2020: 5.34 a.m. - the satellites move from west to northeast
• February 14, 2020: 5.55 am - the "Starlink" satellites move from west to northeast
• February 15, 2020: 6:16 a.m. - the SpaceX satellites move from west to northeast
• February 16, 2020: 6:37 a.m. - the satellites move from northwest to east
• February 17, 2020: 6:09 am - the SpaceX satellites move from southwest to east

Update from February 10, 2020, 11:15 a.m .: Apparently there are considerations to launch the SpaceX satellite network "Starlink" as a company of its own. The Bloomberg news agency has learned that SpaceX manager Gwynne Showell confirmed during an investor meeting that SpaceX's "Starlink" would be split off to bring the new company public. This is a surprising thought, as SpaceX founder Elon Musk always emphasizes that the income from the "Starlink" satellites should flow into the development of the "Starships", which should enable the settlement of Mars in the future.

“Starlink” satellites can be seen like a “string of lights” in the morning sky

Update from February 6, 2020, 3:10 p.m .: It was quiet around "Starlink" for a few days, now a phase is beginning again in which the SpaceX satellites will be visible in the sky over Germany . The observation times for the coming days are all in the morning:

• February 7, 2020: The “Starlink” satellites can be seen in the Rhein-Main area at 6:00 am - they move from west to southeast.
• February 10, 2020: The SpaceX satellites can be seen in the Rhein-Main area at 6.14 a.m. from southwest to northeast.
• February 11, 2020: The satellites can be seen in the Rhine-Main region at 6.33 a.m. from west to northeast in the sky.
• February 12: The "Starlink" satellites can be seen in the Rhine-Main region at 6.54 a.m. from west to northeast.
• February 13: The SpaceX satellites can be seen in the Rhine-Main area at 5.40 a.m. from west to northeast.
• February 14: The satellites can be observed in the Rhein-Main area at 6:03 a.m. from west to northeast.
• February 15: The SpaceX satellites can be seen in the Rhein-Main area at 6.25 a.m. from northwest to northeast.

SpaceX: 240 “Starlink” satellites are now orbiting the earth

Update from January 29, 2020, 6:00 p.m .: After several postponements, it did work: SpaceX launched another 60 "Starlink" satellites. The company from Elon Musk now has 240 “Starlink” satellites in Earth orbit, half of which only started in January.

Successful deployment of 60 Starlink satellites confirmed! pic.twitter.com/AHkQYB3uNV

Update of January 29, 2020, 11:00 a.m .: After the launch of the next 60 "Starlink" satellites has been postponed several times in the past few days, it should be time today: At 3:06 p.m. the "Falcon 9" rocket from SpaceX with the Take off satellites on board. There is a livestream:

First announcement on January 27, 2020: 180 “Starlink” satellites from SpaceX are already orbiting the earth, making SpaceX the world's largest satellite operator. Now there are to be even more satellites: On January 29, 2020 at 3:06 p.m., the private space company from Elon Musk plans to launch another 60 satellites into orbit. For the fourth “Starlink” launch, a “Falcon 9” rocket with a rocket stage that had already been used twice is to be used again.

Standing down today due to strong upper level winds. Next launch opportunity is tomorrow at 9:28 am EST, or 14:28 UTC.

The start has been postponed several times due to bad weather, most recently from January 27, 2020 to January 28, then to January 29. According to SpaceX, the planned rocket stage was already in use at the start of the first "Crew Dragon" demo mission * to the ISS (March 2019). It was then processed and used again for a satellite mission in June 2019.

SpaceX and Elon Musk again send 60 “Starlink” satellites into space

The rocket stage should land on the SpaceX drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Atlantic shortly after launch. About 45 minutes after the launch, two more ships are also expected to capture the two halves of the payload fairing, each with a net. In addition to the recycling rocket stages, this is another part of the SpaceX plan to reuse as many parts of a rocket as possible and thereby make rocket launches cheaper.

The 60 "Starlink" satellites that the rocket will launch into space are launched at an altitude of 290 kilometers. Each individual satellite should then be checked for functionality by SpaceX employees before the satellites are raised to a height of 550 kilometers using built-in engines.

"Starlink" satellites: Elon Musk wants to offer high-speed Internet from space

The 60 new "Starlink" satellites are to become part of the "Starlink" constellation from SpaceX. Behind this is the plan of Elon Musk and his company to offer fast internet from space in the future - even in the most remote corners of the world. "Starlink" is the "most advanced broadband internet system", it says in a press kit for the latest "Starlink" launch.

SpaceX's plan is to launch several thousand "Starlink" satellites and to offer Internet services to its first customers in the United States and Canada in 2020. At least 400 satellites are required for "minimal coverage", at least 800 satellites for moderate coverage, said Elon Musk some time ago. SpaceX plans to send another 60 satellites into space every two to three weeks in 2020. From 2021 there will be a "global" coverage with "Starlink" Internet.

“Starlink” plans by SpaceX and Elon Musk cause criticism

Not everyone is enthusiastic about the plans of SpaceX and Elon Musk : After the first 60 satellites were launched in May 2019, their effects on Earth could be clearly seen: The "Starlink" satellites scurried - as if strung on a string - clearly visible over the night sky *. The higher the satellites rose, the weaker their light became, but they are still clearly visible today.

Numerous astronomers and astronomy organizations have criticized this intervention in the night sky and its effects on science. At the "Starlink" launch in early January, a satellite was there for the first time to test a solution to the problem: It was provided with a black layer to make it darker. What became of this experiment called DarkSat is not yet known. What is certain, however, is that astronomers continue to warn of the effects of the "Starlink" satellites. Your criticisms:

• The night sky is destroyed
• Astronomical observations are made more difficult - the satellites pass through the images as light strips
• Radio astronomy is impaired: The radio signals from the "Starlink" satellites interfere with sensitive radio observatories

Wow!! I am in shock !! The huge amount of Starlink satellites crossed our skies tonight at @cerrotololo. Our DECam exposure was heavily affected by 19 of them! The train of Starlink satellites lasted for over 5 minutes !! Rather depressing… This is not cool! pic.twitter.com/gK0ekbpLJe

SpaceX wants to find a solution for brightly lit "Starlink" satellites

At a meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in Honolulu, SpaceX once again emphasized that a solution was to be found, reports "Nature". "SpaceX is determined to find a way so that our" Starlink "project does not compromise the value of the research you all do," quotes SpaceX's "Nature" Patricia Cooper.

Two satellites threaten to collide over the United States - this could have dangerous consequences.

By Tanja Banner

* fr.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital central editorial office.

Rubric list picture: © picture alliance / Joe Burbank / TNS via ZUMA Wire / dpa