Upcoming Starlink launches in December 2023
Starlink Group 6-31: December 1, 2023, 11:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m. EST (4 – 8 UTC December 2)
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral House Pressure Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 6-32: December 5, 2023, 11:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m. EST (4 – 8 UTC December 6)
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Cape Canaveral House Pressure Station, Florida | DATE/TIME MAY CHANGE
You’ll be able to watch a recorded livestream of the Starlink launches on SpaceX’s X account.
Count on extra launches to be introduced for the remainder of the month. Watch this space for updates!
After launch, search for a prepare of lights
Following each Starlink launch, the web buzzes with folks asking:
What’s that lengthy line of lights within the sky that appears like a prepare?
What you’re seeing is the Starlink satellites shifting into a better orbit. You’ll be able to examine to see if they are going to cross over your space utilizing the Find Starlink website.
Rising numbers amid controversy
In accordance with Wikipedia, as of November 2023, Starlink consists of over 5,500 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit that talk with designated floor transceivers. They supply web entry to greater than 2 million subscribers.
Love ’em or hate ’em, these Starlink satellites are a part of SpaceX’s imaginative and prescient for a world web communication satellite constellation. They ship high-speed web service worldwide, primarily to areas the place ground-based web is unreliable, unavailable, or costly. The non-public firm is well-known for launching batches back-to-back, a number of instances a month, repeatedly lofting 60 satellites at a time. And SpaceX plans to construct as much as maybe as many as 30,000 finally.
Most thought it was thrilling to see the primary few Starlink satellites touring collectively within the evening sky. However then extra had been launched, after which extra. And astronomers began to worry.
As a result of Starlinks are vivid, astronomers say they’re photobombing astronomical pictures. Due to this fact, they’ve the potential to intrude with the skilled astronomical observations which have introduced us our modern-day view of the cosmos. And though SpaceX has tried to handle the problem, they continue to be removed from what astronomers say is suitable.
Backside line: Discover a record of SpaceX’s Starlink launches for December right here. Hold coming again for updates!
Read more from EarthSky: Starlink satellites can look like a plume or train of light
