New ship, new year: SpaceX will deploy prototype Starlink satellites at the next Starship launch

SpaceX It significantly raises the bar for Starship’s test flight program, and the next rocket launch is expected to demonstrate payload deployment for the first time.

The payload in question will be 10 Starlink “simulators” that will be similar in size and weight to the next-generation satellites that SpaceX plans to use Starship to deploy in space. These prototype spacecraft will travel on the same path as the upper stage, also called Starship, and will land in the Indian Ocean.

The operational version of these satellites, called V3, will likely be the first true payloads flown by the spacecraft. In fact, bringing Starship online is the backbone of SpaceX’s plans to deploy the Starlink satellite constellation more quickly and reduce the costs of each satellite launched. SpaceX currently launches Starlink using its Falcon 9 rocket, but the next-generation V3 satellites are expected to be much heavier than the current V2 Mini spacecraft. Thanks to Starship’s impressive payload capacity, SpaceX said it plans to deploy 60 V3 satellites per Starship launch, which will add 60 terabits per second of capacity to the Starlink network.

Per satellite, this equates to more than 10 times the downlink capacity and 24 times the uplink capacity compared to V2 Mini satellites.

in Blog post Ahead of the seventh test launch, which is expected to take place later this month, the company said it is also introducing a large number of updates to the missile. These improvements include the propulsion system, avionics, and heat shield, which SpaceX says will enhance reliability and performance. During this test, SpaceX will also attempt to “capture” the Super Heavy booster, a feat the company has achieved For the first time during the fifth Test in October.