Starlink

Starlink is a satellite internet service operated by Starlink Services, LLC, a company owned by the American aerospace firm SpaceX. It provides internet to about 150 countries and territories and aims to offer internet access almost everywhere in the world.

SpaceX started launching these satellites in 2019. By March 2026, there were over 10,020 satellites orbiting Earth in low Earth orbit. These satellites talk to special machines on the ground to give people internet. SpaceX plans to launch even more satellites in the future, possibly up to 34,400.

Starlink has grown very quickly. In December 2022, it had over 1 million users. By February 2026, that number had grown to 10 million users. The service has been important for SpaceX's success and has even been used in wars, like the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Some scientists worry that all these satellites might make it hard to study the night sky. SpaceX is trying to make the satellites less bright to help with this problem. The satellites can move to avoid hitting each other and will fall out of orbit when they are old.

History

Background

Groups of satellites orbiting close to Earth were first thought of in the 1980s as part of a big plan to protect the country. They were meant to help stop far-away missiles. Later, people saw that these satellites could also help us talk to each other with less delay. In the 1990s, many companies tried to build lots of satellites for internet service, but they ran out of money when the internet boom ended.

In 2004, a man named Larry Williams joined SpaceX. Then, in 2014, Elon Musk and Greg Wyler planned a big group of satellites called WorldVu. But they couldn’t agree, so SpaceX applied for permission to build their own system called Starlink.

Design phase (2015–2016)

Starlink was announced in 2015 when SpaceX opened a place in Redmond, Washington to build satellites. Musk said there was still a big need for cheap internet around the world. He wanted Starlink to help pay for SpaceX’s plans to go to Mars.

Start of development phase (2016–2019)

In 2016, SpaceX asked for permission to put up satellites that weren’t stuck in one place in the sky. They promised to bring their old satellites back to Earth when they were done working.

First launches (2019–2020)

In 2018, they launched two test satellites. The first real group of 60 satellites went up in 2019. By 2020, some people could try out Starlink for free, and later everyone could try it and pay for it.

Commercial service (2021–present)

In 2021, people could buy Starlink in the United States and Canada. SpaceX tried to get help from the government, but it didn’t work out.

In 2022, SpaceX added a better version of Starlink for businesses. They also got permission to use Starlink on boats, planes, and moving cars.

In 2023, SpaceX said they were making six smaller satellites every day. By 2026, Starlink had more than 10 million customers around the world.

Services

Satellite internet

Starlink provides internet using satellites to help people in places where it's hard to get good service, and also offers internet in busier areas. In the United States, when it started, people had to pay $599 for the equipment and $120 each month for the service. There is also a special service for people who move around a lot, like in RVs, but it costs a bit more and the internet may not be as fast.

Starlink has different plans for different needs. Some plans cost more but give faster internet. They also have a special service for ships at sea. Because there can only be a few hundred users in each area, Starlink sometimes offers a service to people waiting for a better connection.

In some countries, Starlink has made the monthly cost lower. As more people start using Starlink, the speeds can go down, but SpaceX says it will get better as they put up more satellites.

Satellite cellular service

In July 2025, people in the U.S. and New Zealand could start sending text messages using Starlink satellites. Companies like T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and One NZ can now use these satellites to send texts, and later, they will add voice and a little bit of data. This works with regular phones, unlike older satellite phones that needed special equipment.

The first satellites that can handle cell phone service were launched on January 2, 2024.

Starshield

Starshield is a special version of Starlink made for governments and the military. It was created after Starlink showed how important satellite internet can be during wars. Starshield has extra features to keep the communication safe and work well even when there is trouble. The U.S. government owns and controls Starshield.

In September 2023, the U.S. Space Force gave Starshield its first big contract to help with military communications. This contract is part of a big plan to put many small satellites in space over the next 10 years.

Applications

Military

SpaceX builds special satellites for the military, mainly for the Space Development Agency. These satellites help improve missile defense by using low Earth orbit platforms.

In 2020, the agency gave SpaceX $150 million to develop four satellites for detecting and tracking missiles. These satellites were supposed to launch in 2022 but finally launched in April 2023.

In 2019, the United States Air Force tested Starlink with a small airplane and a large military plane, showing it could work well in battles. Experts say Starlink signals are harder for enemies to block during wars.

In 2022, Chinese military experts worried about Starlink’s role in battles. Elon Musk said Starlink is for peaceful uses only. Russian leaders have also criticized Starlink, saying it might become a target in future conflicts.

Russo-Ukrainian war

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Starlink helped Ukraine stay connected to the world and keep its energy systems running. It was also used for military tasks like controlling drones and coordinating attacks. SpaceX has limited some of these uses but kept most of the service active. The U.S. Department of Defense later agreed to pay for Starlink’s use in Ukraine.

Gaza war

After the Gaza war began in October 2023, people asked Elon Musk to turn on Starlink in Gaza because internet service was lost. Musk said Starlink would help aid groups in Gaza, but only with Israel’s approval.

Mali War and War in the Sahel

Some armed groups in Mali and nearby areas have used Starlink to stay connected and plan their actions. Governments in Niger and Chad are trying to control Starlink use by requiring devices to be registered, but it’s hard to stop.

Criminal

Reports in 2023 showed that some criminal groups in Brazil used Starlink to operate in remote parts of the Amazon rainforest.

In 2025, reports said Starlink was used by scam centers in Southeast Asia. SpaceX later cut off service to at least 2,500 of these devices in Myanmar.

Iran

In 2022, Elon Musk turned on Starlink in Iran after the government blocked the internet during protests. This helped people get information. During protests in 2025–2026, Starlink was turned on again but later blocked by Iran. Some groups helped bring Starlink devices into Iran.

Passenger Wi-Fi on aircraft

Many airlines are adding Starlink to their planes to give passengers internet during flights.

In April 2022, Hawaiian Airlines became the first to use Starlink. By July 2022, it was available in 36 countries.

In September 2024, United Airlines planned to add Starlink to all its planes. In March 2025, the FAA approved this plan.

Qatar Airways started adding Starlink in October 2024. By November 2025, International Airlines Group planned to add it to about 500 planes. Emirates, Hanjin Group, and Lufthansa Group also announced plans to add Starlink to their fleets.

Other airlines that have deals with Starlink include Zipair Tokyo, Air France, WestJet, Air New Zealand, airBaltic, SAS, Virgin Atlantic, Alaska Airlines, Air Canada, FlyDubai, Gulf Air, and Southwest Airlines.

Maritime

Starlink is now seen as important for sailors to stay connected while at sea. Companies like Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and Hyundai Glovis have added Starlink to their ships.

In August 2022, SpaceX signed its first deal with Royal Caribbean Group to add Starlink to one of its ships and planned to add it to 50 ships by March 2023. Carnival Corporation, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and MSC Cruises also added Starlink to their ships.

Internet availability and regulatory approval

To offer satellite services in any country, each nation must grant permission, and the country's own regulators must approve it. Because of this, even though Starlink has coverage almost everywhere, including polar areas, it can only provide internet in 115 countries as of July 2025. SpaceX also considers business and economic factors when deciding which countries to offer Starlink in, and when.

For example, SpaceX asked for permission to enter Canada in June 2020, and Canada approved it in November 2020. Service began two months later, in January 2021. Canada was the first country outside of the United States to approve Starlink.

Technology

Satellite hardware

The internet communication satellites were expected to be small, weighing between 100 to 500 kilograms, and were intended to orbit Earth at a height of about 1,100 kilometers. The first batch of 60 satellites was launched in May 2019, each weighing 227 kilograms. SpaceX decided to place these satellites at a lower height of 550 kilometers to reduce space debris and use fewer satellites. Early plans from 2015 suggested building around 4,000 satellites for the network.

These satellites use special technologies to connect with each other and process signals in certain frequency bands. While some details are kept private, early satellites did not have special links for connecting to each other, but these were tested successfully later in 2020.

The satellites are made at a lower cost than older satellites. Elon Musk said they aim to make space technology more affordable, both for satellites and rockets. Smaller satellites help lower the cost of internet and communications from space.

In February 2015, SpaceX asked regulators to think about new ways to use certain frequencies before making rules, as they are new to the satellite market. Starlink will operate in high-frequency bands above 24 GHz, where signals from Earth would have a wider impact due to the lower satellite orbits.

Internet traffic through traditional satellites can have delays of at least 477 milliseconds, but Starlink’s lower orbit reduces this delay to around 25 to 35 milliseconds, similar to cable or fiber networks. The system uses a simple connection method and includes strong security features.

Starlink satellites use special engines with krypton or argon gas to move in orbit. Krypton engines wear down more but are cheaper and easier to find. SpaceX claims their newer argon engine has more power and better performance.

User terminals

Starlink offers different ways to connect, including a service that works with regular cell phones around the world. For home or other places, users connect through small flat terminals about the size of a pizza box. These terminals have special antennas that follow the satellites in the sky and can be placed almost anywhere, even on moving vehicles like trains or airplanes. The first pictures of these antennas appeared online in June 2020.

In October 2020, SpaceX began a beta test in the U.S. called "Better Than Nothing Beta," charging $499 for a terminal with speeds of 50 to 150 Mbit/s and delays of 20 to 40 milliseconds. This service expanded to other countries starting in January 2021.

There is also a larger, high-performance version for businesses. In September 2020, SpaceX asked to put terminals on some of its ships for future maritime use.

In August 2022, a security expert shared details about the terminals, explaining the main parts and how they work. In June 2024, a smaller, portable terminal called “Starlink Mini” was announced, supporting 100 Mbit/s and fitting in a backpack, with the first rollout in Latin America at $200.

Ground stations

SpaceX has applied for permission to build at least 32 ground stations in the United States, with approvals for five as of July 2020. Until February 2023, Starlink used certain frequencies to connect with these stations, but later added frequencies in the 71–86 GHz range with the launch of v2 Mini.

A typical ground station has nine large antennas in a fenced area of about 400 square meters. According to filings, SpaceX plans to install ground stations at Google data centers worldwide.

Satellite revisions

MicroSat

MicroSat-1a and MicroSat-1b were planned to orbit at 625 kilometers with cameras to film Earth and the satellites themselves. However, they were used for ground tests instead of being launched.

Tintin

In June 2015, SpaceX planned to launch two test satellites in 2016, but this was delayed to 2018. The two test satellites, named Tintin A and Tintin B, were launched on February 22, 2018. They stayed in orbits close to their starting points and communicated with testing stations in Washington State and California.

v0.9 (test)

The 60 Starlink v0.9 satellites launched in May 2019 included:

• A flat design with many antennas and a single solar panel
• A weight of 227 kilograms
• Special engines using krypton gas to adjust position and maintain orbit
• A navigation system for precise pointing
• Ability to use data from the U.S. Department of Defense to avoid collisions
• An orbit height of 550 kilometers
• Design that burns up completely in Earth’s atmosphere at the end of its life

v1.0 (operational)

The Starlink v1.0 satellites launched in November 2019 included:

• Complete burning up in Earth’s atmosphere at the end of their life
• Added Ka-band frequencies
• A weight of 260 kilograms
• One satellite, called DarkSat, had a special coating to reduce brightness but this was stopped due to heating issues
• All satellites launched after August 2020 have visors to block sunlight reflections

v1.5 (operational)

The Starlink v1.5 satellites launched on January 24, 2021 included:

• Lasers for connecting satellites to each other
• A weight of about 295 kilograms
• Visors to block sunlight were removed from satellites launched after September 2021

Starshield (operational)

These are satellites designed for military use, with two solar arrays similar to Starlink v1.5 and v2.0, and can carry special government or military equipment.

v2 (initial deployment)

SpaceX planned to start making Starlink v2 satellites by early 2021. These satellites are much better than earlier versions in terms of communication ability.

SpaceX hoped to begin launching Starlink v2 in 2022. By May 2022, SpaceX indicated that second-generation satellites would need to be launched on Starship due to their size, but in August 2022, they filed plans to build them in two different sizes for launch on both Falcon 9 and Starship. Starlink v2 satellites are larger and heavier than earlier versions.

Planned features for Starlink v2 satellites launching on Starship included:

• Lasers for connecting satellites
• A weight of about 1,250 kilograms
• A length of about 7 meters
• Improvements to reduce brightness, including special films
• For 2,016 of the planned 7,500 satellites, an antenna allowing T-Mobile users to connect directly through their regular mobile devices

In October 2022, SpaceX showed the design of early v2 satellites for Falcon 9. In May 2023, they introduced two more designs with direct-to-cell capability.

In August 2025, Starlink tested a “mini laser” to connect with other satellites and space stations.

The design of Starlink satellite bodies has changed a lot since the first ones were launched in 2019:

• Bus F9-1, weighing 303 kilograms, similar in size and mass to V1.5 satellites. Used in Group 5.
• Bus F9-2 (called “v2 mini”), up to 800 kilograms and measuring 4.1 meters by 2.7 meters with solar arrays covering 120 square meters. These offer 3–4 times more bandwidth and were deployed in Groups 6 and 7.
• Bus F9-3, similar to F9-2 but with direct-to-cell capability, measuring 7.4 meters long and weighing 970 kilograms. Deployed in Group 7.
• Bus Starship-1 (planned), weighing 2,000 kilograms and measuring 6.4 meters by 2.7 meters with solar arrays covering 257 square meters.
• Bus Starship-2 (planned), similar to Starship-1 but with direct-to-cell capability, measuring 10.1 meters long.

The first six F9-3 satellites with direct-to-cell capability were launched on January 2, 2024, in Groups 7–9.

Launches

Further information: List of Starlink launches

Between February 2018 and May 2024, SpaceX successfully launched over 6,000 Starlink satellites into space. These included test satellites and others that stopped working or were moved out of the way before they could start regular service. In March 2020, SpaceX reported making six satellites each day.

The first set of 1,440 satellites was planned to fly in special paths called "orbital planes," with 20 satellites in each path. They planned to fly at a lower height to make it easier for people to get internet signals. SpaceX launched the first 60 satellites in May 2019, and at that time, they expected to launch six groups of satellites that year. By 2020, they planned to have 720 satellites working to give continuous coverage.

Starlink satellites are also planned to fly on Starship, a new rocket SpaceX is still building. Starship can carry many more satellites than older rockets. At first, plans were to launch 400 Starlink satellites at once. Now, Starship will be the main rocket for launching a new, bigger version of Starlink satellites.

Constellation design and status

In March 2017, SpaceX asked permission to put more than 7,500 satellites in space for internet service. These satellites would fly very low, at about 340 km above Earth. They also planned to have 4,425 satellites flying higher, at 1,200 km. By 2022, SpaceX changed these plans and made new designs for a second set of Starlink satellites.

In November 2018, SpaceX got permission from U.S. officials to put 7,518 of these very-low satellites into space, in addition to the 4,425 already approved. But by 2022, they stopped the plans for the very-low satellites and asked to change their permission to put about 1,600 satellites at 550 km above Earth. These would be part of a new, lower group of satellites. The U.S. officials approved this in April 2019, allowing nearly 12,000 satellites in three groups: about 1,600 at 550 km, about 2,800 at 1,150 km, and about 7,500 at 340 km. They planned to put up nearly 12,000 satellites, with a possible later goal of 42,000.

In February 2019, a company related to SpaceX asked for permission to operate up to one million ground stations that talk to the Starlink satellites.

In June 2019, SpaceX asked for permission to test up to 270 ground terminals — 70 across the United States and 200 in Washington state — and to test on airplanes and other places.

On October 15, 2019, U.S. officials asked an international group to set aside space for 30,000 more Starlink satellites to go along with the 12,000 already approved. That same month, the creator of Starlink tested the network by using it to send his first tweet on Twitter.

In January 2026, SpaceX announced plans to move about 4,400 satellites to a lower height of 480 km over the year, saying it would be safer for space and help satellites leave space faster when they are done working.

First generation

The chart below shows all the first version satellites (not including the test satellites Tintin A and Tintin B).

Early plans had all the first set of satellites flying between 1,100 and 1,300 km above Earth. SpaceX first asked to lower the first 1,584 satellites, and in April 2020, asked to lower all the higher satellites to about 550 km. In April 2020, SpaceX changed how the Starlink network would work. They asked officials to let them put more satellites in lower orbits in the first step than before. The first step would still have 1,440 satellites in the first group flying at 550 km, with no changes to this group launched mostly in 2020. SpaceX also asked to use a special part of radio waves for their network, and officials approved this in April 2021.

On January 24, 2021, SpaceX launched 10 new Starlink satellites, the first ones to fly over the poles. This launch broke a record for the most satellites launched at once, bringing the total number of Starlink satellites to 1,025 at that time.

On February 3, 2022, 49 satellites were launched. A big space storm happened on February 4, which made the atmosphere thicker and warmer at the low heights where the satellites were. This could have caused up to 40 of the 49 satellites to be lost. After the storm, 38 satellites fell back to Earth by February 12, but the other 11 were able to move higher and stay safe.

In March 2023, SpaceX asked to add special parts to the second version of satellites instead of making a new set of satellites as before. This request needs approval from officials.

Second generation

Falcon 9

Because of delays with Starship, SpaceX changed the design of the second version of Starlink satellites to a smaller version called "v2 mini." This lets them be launched on Falcon 9 rockets. The first 21 of these satellites were launched on February 27, 2023. SpaceX promised to keep the parts that hold these satellites together during launch attached to the rocket, instead of letting them float away as before. Observations show that v2 mini satellites have two solar panels, like the bigger v2 satellites.

Starship

As of October 2025, SpaceX tested the Starlink system for launching on Starship many times. Up to 10 test Starlink "simulators" were carried on each test flight starting with Flight 7, planned to fall back over the Indian Ocean. Flight 7 did not reach this goal, and neither did flights 8 and 9. Successful tests happened on Flight 10 and Flight 11, with 8 Starlink simulators deployed each time.

Impact on astronomy

The large number of Starlink satellites has raised concerns among astronomers about light pollution. They worry that the brightness of these satellites could interfere with scientific observations, both in visible light and radio waves. Astronomers say it’s becoming harder to plan observations as more satellites are launched.

Some steps have been taken to reduce brightness, such as adding sunshades to satellites and changing their design. However, astronomers still find the satellites too bright for comfortable observation. In October 2023, research showed that Starlink satellites were sending out radio signals that could interfere with important future telescopes. Efforts continue to find ways to reduce these effects so that both space exploration and astronomy can coexist.

Increased risk of satellite collision

The many satellites used by Starlink could create long-term dangers. Putting thousands of satellites in space might lead to space debris and increase the chance of satellite collisions. This could start a chain reaction called Kessler syndrome.

SpaceX says most satellites are launched at a lower altitude and will fall back to Earth within five years if they stop working. Between December 2023 and May 2024, Starlink satellites made around 50,000 moves to avoid hitting other satellites. This was twice as many as the previous six months.

In the early days of the program, there was a close call when a Starlink satellite almost hit a European satellite. SpaceX fixed a problem that stopped important messages from the European Space Agency. Now, the European Space Agency is working on ways to automatically move satellites apart.

In 2021, China said its space station had to move to avoid Starlink satellites. They said the moving Starlink satellites could be dangerous to astronauts.

The destruction of a Russian satellite in 2021 also affected Starlink. Many of Starlink's moves in 2021 and 2022 were to avoid pieces from this destroyed satellite.

NASA, the National Science Foundation, and other groups have warned about the risks Starlink satellites pose to space missions and radio signals. Starlink satellites will move if there is a very small chance of hitting another satellite. As of May 2022, each Starlink satellite had made only a few moves to avoid others in the past six months.

Competition and market effects

See also: Satellite constellation § Communications satellite constellations, and Satellite internet constellation

Other companies have also planned similar projects to provide internet from space. In 2015, Samsung planned a huge system of 4,600 satellites, but by 2020, they had shared no new updates. Telesat planned a smaller system of 117 satellites to start service in 2021. In April 2019, Amazon announced plans for a big network of 3,236 satellites, called "Project Kuiper", working with their ground stations called the "AWS ground station unit".

In February 2021, some groups worried about how fair the help given to SpaceX for Starlink really was. They said some of the places getting service were not really rural and that SpaceX planned to serve anyone who wanted it, not just those who needed help. They also said the technology was still being tested and not fully proven yet.

Similar or competitive systems

Main articles: Satellite internet constellation and Satellite constellation § Two-way communication

• Amazon Leo – a planned system of 3,276 satellites by Amazon.
• AST SpaceMobile – a system to give internet to regular mobile phones.
• Globalstar – a working system for phone and slow internet services.
• Guowang – a large Chinese satellite internet system being built.
• Hughes Network Systems – a company that gives broadband internet from satellites.
• Iridium – a working system of 66 satellites giving phone and slow internet services everywhere on Earth.
• Inmarsat – a satellite network used mainly for sending messages at sea.
• Lynk Global – a system to give internet to normal mobile phones.
• O3b and O3b mPOWER – systems for use at sea, in airplanes, and for the military.
• OneWeb satellite constellation – a system that started putting satellites in space in 2020.
• Orbcomm – a working system to track things and send messages.
• Qianfan – a big Chinese satellite internet system being built.
• Teledesic – an old plan from the 1990s to give broadband internet from satellites.
• Viasat, Inc. – a company that gives broadband internet from satellites.