The primary objective of the upcoming Starship flight will be to place the next-generation Starlink satellite (V3) into orbit, while simultaneously validating several critical technological capabilities of Starship V3.
Starship V3 incorporates stainless steel components that are thinner yet more robust, resulting in reduced overall mass while maintaining structural integrity. It stands approximately 1.5 meters taller than the V2 version, enabling it to carry additional propellant to support extended mission durations. The Starship V3 is fully outfitted with 33 Raptor 3 engines, effectively doubling its thrust capacity and substantially enhancing its payload capability, allowing it to launch 100 Starlink satellites per flight.
When will the third-generation Starship take off, according to Elon Musk?
The Starlink V3 satellite is considerably larger and heavier than its predecessors. Elon Musk previously confirmed that once deployed, its dimensions approach those of a Boeing 737 passenger jet, making launch via the Falcon 9 rocket impractical. This necessity underscores reliance on Starship’s immense lift capacity.
Starlink V3 boasts markedly improved data transmission speeds: a single satellite offers a throughput of 1 Tbps and achieves an overall latency under 20 ms. It is equipped to meet low-latency demands across all use cases, including esports, and has been fully upgraded to the latest laser communication standard, enabling it to execute large-scale artificial intelligence computational tasks for establishing a broad “orbital computing” network.
By the conclusion of 2025, the Starlink network is projected to cover 155 nations, serving over 9 million subscribers, thereby constituting an extensive worldwide communications infrastructure.
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