SpaceX could begin
launching the fourth of five orbital ‘shells’ of its first Starlink constellation as early as July
SpaceX was preparing to
start launching “Group 3” of its first 4408-satellite Starlink constellation as early as July 2022.
SpaceX applied for
communications permits known as “special temporary authority” licenses or STAs for a launch known as “Starlink Group 3-1
“Group 3” refers to
one of five orbital “shells” that make up SpaceX’s 4408-satellite first-generation Starlink constellation.
Each shell can be
thought of shell – a thin layer of satellites more or less evenly distributed around the entire sphere of the Earth.
Oddly, SpaceX also
launched a single batch of 51 Group/Shell 2 Starlink satellites in September 2021