SpaceX looks to expand internet service with more than 700 Starlink satellites

CTV National News: Starlink satellite network Elon Musk is growing his network of satellites in hopes of offering high-speed internet anywhere on earth. John Vennavally-Rao explains.

TORONTO — Stargazers may have noticed an unusual sight passing through the night sky this week as SpaceX launched dozens of satellites into Earth’s orbit.

On Thursday, 60 satellites were launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to join the rest of the Starlink fleet.

“They are hitting the gas on launching Starlink,” says tech analyst Carmi Levy. “Their goal is every couple of weeks, another Starlink mission.”

In just the last month, there have been three successful launches and deployments, making SpaceX the largest fleet of satellites in the world, with more than 700 currently in orbit.

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk wants to create a constellation made up of thousands of Starlink satellites that can offer high speed internet anywhere on the planet.

“The world seems to have an insatiable appetite for bandwidth,” Musk said at the Satellite 2020 conference in March. “We’re certainly happy to launch other satellites.”

The plan is to ultimately create an interconnected network of about 12,000 small satellites in low orbit around Earth. Using a small dish, customers will be able to connect and get fast internet speeds, with rural and tough to reach areas being the primary market.

“Let’s just say someone will be able to watch high def movies, play video games and do all the things they want to do without noticing speed,” Musk said.

SpaceX recently said it’s building about 120 satellites a month. Astronomers are concerned the extra points of light will make it harder to observe the night sky.

“They’re trying to look at things far away in the cosmos, and you have all these little pesky little satellites orbiting in front of them, causing streaks across their imaging,” says Levy.

SpaceX has responded to the concerns by modifying its satellites to make them less reflective.

The company hopes to use Starlink internet as a way to fund the company’s vision of going to the moon and Mars.

SpaceX says the service will first be available in the U.S. and parts of Canada. Public trials are expected to take place later this year.