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Starlink

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A view of Starlink satellites orbiting Earth, part of SpaceX's mission to provide global internet coverage from space.

What is Starlink?

Starlink is a special group of satellites that helps give people internet all around the world. It is run by a big company called SpaceX. These satellites fly high above Earth and connect to small machines in homes or on boats to bring internet.

How Does Starlink Work?

Starlink started launching satellites in 2019. Today, there are over 10,000 satellites circling Earth in low Earth orbit. They work together to send internet to about 10 million people in more than 150 countries.

Why Do People Like Starlink?

Many places don’t have good internet, especially in rural areas or faraway islands. Starlink helps these places get fast internet. It’s also useful for people who travel a lot, like on boats or in cars.

The Future of Starlink

SpaceX plans to launch even more satellites—maybe up to 34,400 in the future! This will make internet faster and available almost everywhere on Earth. They are also working to make the satellites less bright so they don’t bother people when they look at the night sky.

Fun Fact

Starlink satellites can move out of the way if they sense another satellite coming close. This helps keep space safe and prevents collisions!

Images

An exterior view of the SpaceX satellite development facility in Redmond, Washington, taken in spring 2018.
A Starlink user terminal – a small satellite dish that provides high-speed internet.
A line graph showing the growth of Starlink internet subscribers over time.
A Starlink satellite internet dish providing fast internet connectivity.
A Starlink satellite internet dish installed on the sidewalk of a home.
A Starlink satellite internet antenna mounted on a pole, used to connect users to the internet through space.
A modern Starlink router used for wireless internet connectivity.
A chart showing how the number of satellites and download speeds have changed over time up to December 2023.

Related articles

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Starlink, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.