As previously reported, SpaceX is authorized to launch 12,000 satellites and has applied for permission to launch another 30,000 Starlink satellites. This is a huge number.
SpaceX launches satellites into space in batches of 56 and 22 satellites at a time, depending on the version of the satellite. Starlink v1.5 is much smaller than Starlink v2, so there is less space for next-generation satellites under the Falcon 9 rocket fairing. The company hopes that the next generation of Starship rockets will soon start launching more satellites at a time.
So far, SpaceX has completed 96 successful missions to launch Starlink satellites into orbit, including today’s mission on August 7, 2023. As a result, 4,828 satellites have been launched into space so far, of which 3,903 are in operation and 439 have been de-orbited and burned in the atmosphere.
So, how do you watch Starlink satellites online?
There are online services for this purpose. The most popular is satellitemap.space, which allows you to “see” the location of each Starlink satellite in orbit, its altitude and other additional technical information. The service takes information from open sources, mainly from Space-Track.org, an organization that specializes in monitoring the space environment to promote safety in space.
The SatelliteMap service also allows you to “see” the satellites of Starlink’s competitor Oneweb and the satellites of the global navigation system GPS. And also, from an interesting point of view, to see where the International Space Station (ISS) is now located.
It is also worth noting that information from online services about the location of satellites is for informational and informational purposes only and is not a commercial project.
