SpaceX Launches 60 Starlink Satellites, 500K+ Pre-Orders

SpaceX Continues Starlink Satellite Deployment

SpaceX has recently added 60 more satellites to its Starlink internet constellation. This launch occurred on May 4th – coinciding with “Star Wars Day” – and followed closely after a previous deployment just five days prior.

Since the start of March, a total of 420 Starlink satellites have been launched. Interestingly, this milestone hasn't yet been publicly acknowledged by the company’s CEO, despite his usual practice of announcing such achievements.

Launch Details and Booster Reuse

The launch originated from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 3:01 PM ET (12:01 PM PT). A previously flown Falcon 9 booster was utilized for this mission, marking its eighth flight.

Following stage separation, the booster successfully returned to SpaceX’s drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. This achievement ties the record for the most flights by a reused Falcon 9 booster, a record established by SpaceX in March. This represents the company’s 115th Falcon 9 launch to date.

Starlink Demand and Pre-Orders

SpaceX has also released updated statistics regarding its Starlink consumer hardware. This hardware is essential for users to connect to and receive signals from the satellite constellation for broadband internet access.

Currently, the company has received over half a million pre-order reservations for the Starlink service. These reservations include advance deposits made towards the purchase of the necessary hardware.

Order Fulfillment and Service Availability

The substantial demand explains the existing backlog in fulfilling Starlink orders. Interested customers can register and place a pre-order for the kit through the official SpaceX Starlink website.

The kit includes the Starlink receiver, a router, power supplies, and mounting hardware for residential installation.

Currently, the Starlink service is available to beta testers in six countries: Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

SpaceX aims to expand service coverage to achieve near-global availability by the end of 2021. This expansion will be supported by a series of additional satellite launches planned throughout the remainder of the year.