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Starlink Group 7-1 is the name of the seventh batch of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites launched into orbit on April 22, 2020. The launch vehicle used for this mission was the Falcon 9 Block 5. With this launch, SpaceX has added another 60 Starlink satellites to its growing constellation.

The Falcon 9 Block 5 is the fifth iteration of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. It features improvements in reusability, performance, and reliability compared to its predecessors. The Block 5 variant is designed to fly up to 10 times with minimal refurbishments between flights, and up to 100 times with moderate refurbishments. This design allows for cost-effective and rapid access to space.

The Starlink satellites launched as part of Group 7-1 are part of SpaceX’s plan to provide affordable broadband internet coverage worldwide. The Starlink constellation aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access to even the most remote areas of the planet. This ambitious project involves sending thousands of small satellites into low Earth orbit, forming a mesh network that provides continuous coverage.

Each Starlink satellite weighs about 260 kilograms and is equipped with krypton ion thrusters for propulsion. They are also equipped with a sun visor to reduce their reflectivity and are designed to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere at the end of their operational life to prevent space debris accumulation.

SpaceX has already launched hundreds of Starlink satellites into orbit, and with each new launch, the constellation grows closer to becoming operational. Once complete, the Starlink network could consist of tens of thousands of satellites that will deliver global broadband coverage.

This seventh batch of Starlink satellites, launched by the Falcon 9 Block 5, is another significant step towards fulfilling SpaceX’s vision of a global satellite internet network.

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