Starlink 35714

Description

Starlink 35714 is the eighth of twenty-eight V2-mini satellites that comprise Starlink Group 11-21. The satellites flew on a southern trajectory to a low-Earth orbit (LEO) inclined at 53.16 degrees.

The V2-mini satellite utilizes cutting edge technology. It has a phased array antenna that makes it more powerful than its predecessors. They also implement E-band for backhaul. Because of this, Starlink provides roughly 4 times the capacity per satellite than earlier models. This allows Starlink to provide more bandwidth as well as having increased reliability. It can connect millions more people worldwide than high-speed internet. In addition to other enhancements, the V2-minis are equipped with new argon Hall thrusters. This helps with on-orbit maneuvering. In total they have 2.4 times the thrust and 1.5 times the specific impulse of the first generation thrusters.

Built by SpaceX, the satellite has a lifespan of about 5 years. SpaceX hopes to eventually have as many as 42,000 satellites in its megaconstellation. This satellite orbits about 550km above earth and can hinder optical and radio astronomical observations.

Starlink is a network consisting of thousands of small satellites. Its goal is to provide fast reliable global access to the internet. These satellites communicate with ground stations, transmitting internet data at speeds greater than 1 gigabit per second. This will give areas with poor telecommunications infrastructure access to high-speed internet.

The booster for this mission, B1082, returned to Earth and landed successfully atop SpaceX’s autonomous droneship, Of Course I Still Love You, which was stationed downrange in the Pacific Ocean. This was SpaceX’s 582nd mission and Falcon 9’s 555th mission.