Next SpaceX Starlink launch delayed by Tropical Storm Arthur
The launch of Falcon 9 in November 2019 carried 60 Starlink satellites.
SpaceX
The next SpaceX startScheduled for later this month, people will be launched for the first time when a Crew Dragon takes two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station.
The company had planned another, more routine takeoff this week, but said Monday that the scheduled Starlink flight would be postponed until after the historic mission. Called Demo-2 will bring human spaceflight back to US soil after a break of almost ten years.
“Withdraw from the Starlink mission because of tropical storm Arthur until after the launch of Crew Demo-2,” SpaceX tweeted.
Withdraw from the Starlink mission because of tropical storm Arthur until after the launch of Crew Demo-2
– SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 18, 2020
The company initially delayed the eighth Starlink launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, due to the looming wind and rainfalls from the Atlantic storm, until Tuesday, before deciding to continue the mission until after the launch of Demo-2 on May 27.
It’s been almost a year since SpaceX launched its first batch of Starlink broadband satellitesThis triggers controversy over the surprising brightness of the orbiting router, which threatens to interfere with the observations of astronomers and other scientists.
The company was experimenting with a dark coating on the satellites to fix the problem. with supposedly mixed results. Then last month CEO Elon Musk reported that an “umbrella” was developed to address the problem. The system called VisorSat is exactly what it sounds like: a range of dark tones that can be used to prevent the sun from sparkling from the bright parts of each satellite.
Musk said the first VisorSats would be included in the next batch of 60 satellites and that future launches should include all VisorSats in June.
It is not clear how many of the satellites will be equipped with the VisorSat system the next time Starlink is launched. SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.
Look at that:
Are SpaceX Starlink satellites ruining the night sky?
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