Hey, when you loaded the software on all the satellites, you did remember to increment Sat_ID each time, right?
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
It will be interesting if we actually learn space's architecture. IIRC, they had previously specified separate payload and T&C frequencies (happy for a fact check on my memory....); in those situations typically the T&C is significantly slower than the payload data rate because it doesn't need to be fast, and its typically at a frequency far enough away from the payload that there's no chance of any kind of interference.
If SpaceX is using their payload as their T&C they would have to identify, separate, and route the signal internally within the bus instead of on to the next payload gizmo (the downlink antenna array or the ISLs). Certainly plausible, especially given the volume they're talking about. The big risk, of course, is that if your payload goes down you lose all commanding. Maybe ok given the volume, but there's definitely zero chance of interactive troubleshooting at that point.
Either way, nothing beats a hard line between the engineer's computer and the satellites. So its understandable that they want to update FSW while on the ground. For me, the most curious thing is that they need to update the FSW [at this point in the game, for the 60 sats that are locked and loaded].
e-FTW
New electron smell
This makes me think of a dead man's switch: if you upload something that locks you out, and by a certain time you've not accessed it to disable the dead man's switch, it automatically reverts to known good state.
Yes, there's definitely checks and balances to make sure the upload is uncorrupted (at the most basic level, its just a file exchange), and there's definitely checks and balances to make sure the new version is uncorrupted before dumping the old version (at the most basic level, its just like updating software on your devices).
boonedocks
MS LR Blk/Blk 19”
N5329K
Active Member
Deployment was kind of anti-climactic, I would have liked an animation or something showing how the constellation spreads out from the initial blob.
Unbelievable to think that first stage has now landed three times, and the rest of the world combined hasn't done it once yet.
Unbelievable to think that first stage has now landed three times, and the rest of the world combined hasn't done it once yet.
It sure was.
But all that matters is that it was successful according to the webcast host.
Elon Musk on Twitter
Elon Musk @elonmusk
Svar til @SpaceX
All 60 Starlink satellites online, solar array deployment coming up soon
21:41 - 23. mai 2019
Elon Musk @elonmusk 7 min
Svar til @elonmusk @SpaceX
Krypton ion thrusters activate in about 3 hours to raise orbit
Elon Musk @elonmusk
Svar til @SpaceX
All 60 Starlink satellites online, solar array deployment coming up soon
21:41 - 23. mai 2019
Elon Musk @elonmusk 7 min
Svar til @elonmusk @SpaceX
Krypton ion thrusters activate in about 3 hours to raise orbit
Last edited:
dhanson865
Well-Known Member
https://www.starlink.com/ is finally live.
panels are in 12 pieces folded (12 long, 2ish wide) single "panel" making the sat asymmetrical.
https://www.starlink.com/images/satellite/satellite__SOLAR_DISPLAY.jpg
https://www.starlink.com/images/satellite/satellite__ANTENNA.jpg
4 phased array antennas facing the earth, bidirectional communication pointing in multiple directions at the same time.
The "body" of the sat reminds me of the tesla "skateboard".
panels are in 12 pieces folded (12 long, 2ish wide) single "panel" making the sat asymmetrical.
https://www.starlink.com/images/satellite/satellite__SOLAR_DISPLAY.jpg
https://www.starlink.com/images/satellite/satellite__ANTENNA.jpg
4 phased array antennas facing the earth, bidirectional communication pointing in multiple directions at the same time.
The "body" of the sat reminds me of the tesla "skateboard".
Last edited:
Yeah not exactly what I was expecting either. Definitely initiated the spin on an entire different axis than I thought. Even though it was anti climactic it still blows me away how SpaceX innovates. Cool time to be alive.
Yes, all in the same inclination (53 degrees), but maybe not in the same plane. Like Iridium, they could take advantage of precession to shift to multiple offset planes before finishing their maneuver to their final altitude and spacing.
However, this doc https://fcc.report/IBFS/SAT-MOD-20181108-00083/1569860.pdf
Calls out 66 sats each in 24 planes, so all 60 may stay in this planes and only the 6 additional/ spares will precess. 15 degree planes separation (at equator), 6ish degrees sat separation in plane.
Doubt it
Yes, satellite tracking sites will likely update with the constellation data
These are real, end user sats. This launch lacks sat to sat comm links (laser or RF), so will function as ground to ground relays. Likely internal testing for now followed by a few main commercial customers, then general consumption.
i am trying to grasp what that means. But again how many miles far away each one will be to the adjacent one in the same plane?
Oh wow, no sat to sat links. Didn’t know that. SpaceX is really developing this network in real time aren’t they? I suspect they are finding or are going to find that station keeping for laser links is going to be tricky, not to mention Sun interference, etc.
dhanson865
Well-Known Member
"All 60 Starlink satellites online, solar array deployment coming up soon" from twitter
"Krypton ion thrusters activate in about 3 hours to raise orbit" and was posted about 30 minutes after deployment" from twitter
So now they should be raising their orbits, dunno how many hours or days it'll take them to get into position but they are already sending and receiving data at this point. Nothing stopping them from being usable as they adjust their orbit.
Said another way the sats come online and become a usable part of the network before they get into their assigned positions. So every time they launch another batch they add to the network rather quickly
