Starlink Satellites Changed Course to Avoid Collisions 25,000 Times in the Past 6 Months

 Still concerned about the process near the earth.

Half of all Starlink avoidance maneuvers have come between Dec. 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023.

By Ryan Whitwam July 12, 2023  in the WSJ via ExtremeTech

When SpaceX began launching its Starlink megaconstellation in 2019, barely 2,000 operational satellites were orbiting Earth. Today, that number is over 6,000, with SpaceX controlling over 4,000. As space around Earth becomes ever more crowded, the chance of a collision increases. New data released by the FCC shows how serious that problem might become. In the past six months, SpaceX has been forced to reroute its satellites to avoid collisions more than 25,000 times.

On the one hand, it's good to know that SpaceX is working to limit close interactions between orbiting objects. However, 25,000 avoidance maneuvers in just six months is a lot. That works out to 137 maneuvers every single day. The FCC report (PDF) also includes the total number of recorded avoidance maneuvers from all four years of Starlink's existence: 50,000.    ...  '

Weaponizing Starlink?

 At what point is something directly weaponized?  In support of military activity?

SpaceX curbed Ukraine's use of Starlink internet for drones -company president  By Joey Roulette  in Reuters

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - SpaceX has taken steps to prevent Ukraine's military from using the company's Starlink satellite internet service for controlling drones in the region during the country's war with Russia, SpaceX's president said Wednesday.

SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service, which has provided Ukraine's military with broadband communications in its defense against Russia's military, was "never never meant to be weaponized," Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president and chief operating officer, said during a conference in Washington, D.C.

"However, Ukrainians have leveraged it in ways that were unintentional and not part of any agreement," she said.  ... 

Russian official says civilian satellites may be military target

Obvious, chilling .... The clear future of warfare

Russian official says civilian satellites may be “legitimate” military target

Russia wasn't happy about Starlink providing broadband in Ukraine after invasion.

JON BRODKIN - 9/16/2022   ArsTechnica

A Russian diplomat said civilian satellites could be legitimate military targets in a statement that seems to refer to Starlink providing broadband access in Ukraine. Civilian satellites "may become a legitimate target for retaliation," the Russian official said in a statement to the United Nations' open-ended working group on reducing space threats.

The quote is from an unofficial English translation of the statement on September 12 by Konstantin Vorontsov, head of the Russian delegation to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) working group. The translation is provided with other countries' statements from the session on the UNODA's meeting website.... '

Starlink to Connect Vehicles as Well

Further general connectivity.

SpaceX plans to beam its Starlink internet to vehicles, not just homes   By Trevor Mogg

SpaceX wants to beam internet from its Starlink satellites to vehicles on Earth.

The revelation came via a recent SpaceX filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requesting permission to install its internet terminals in moving vehicles — not just people’s homes.  ... ' 

Why all Those Satellites?

Been watching all those Starlink satellite launches.  60 per launch.  Being an observational astronomer ave been concerned about  throwing all that stuff into orbit.    Here is the motivation.

Elon Musk Says He's About to Deliver the Future of High-Speed Internet
Get your investment dollars ready.  .... 
By Don Reisingerin Inc.

Elon Musk has been saying for years that he believes the future of the internet resides in space. And now he's planning to make a major change that could facilitate that transition sooner rather than later.

In a move that could send shock waves through the internet space, SpaceX is planning to spin out its Starlink satellite-based internet service into its own entity. It'll also make Starlink public, allowing investors to get a piece of what Musk believes is the future of internet connectivity  ... "