SpaceX, the space company of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has successfully launched sixty satellites. It is the third mission of the so-called Starlink project, which should lead to the entire world having access to fast internet in 2024.
According to SpaceX, research shows that half of the world’s population does not yet have internet. Musk’s company wants to dive into this gap. The first satellites were launched into space in May. The expectation is that a total of around 12,000 satellites are needed for the ambitious project to succeed.
Investment must generate billions
Such a huge network is expected to cost billions, but at the same time SpaceX must also generate a lot of money. The company is aiming for a turnover of 30 billion dollars in 2025, through the sale of subscriptions to people who now have no access to fast and cheaper internet.
SpaceX is not the only player on the market. In February, OneWeb started launching satellites using a Russian Soyuz rocket. Amazon is also planning to set up its own network of more than 3000 satellites.
Worry about collisions
Not everyone is happy with this development. Space agency NASA is concerned about the large number of satellites that are orbiting the Earth. This can lead to collisions. There are also concerns as to whether the starry sky can still be seen in the future.
SpaceX tries to accommodate critics by adjusting the color of the satellites. A satellite has been sent with this launch that is completely black.
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