Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX providing satellite Internet access to most of the Earth.
Starshield is a classified derivative of Starlink designed to be operated for, and which can host payloads for, military or government purposes.
The deployment of the first 1,440 satellites will be into 72 orbital planes of 20 satellites each, with a requested lower minimum elevation angle of beams to improve reception: 25ð rather than the 40ð of the other two orbital shells. SpaceX launched the first 60 satellites of the constellation in May 2019 into a orbit and expected up to six launches in 2019 at that time, with 720 satellites (12 à60) for continuous coverage in 2020.
In August 2019, SpaceX expected four more launches in 2019 and at least nine launches in 2020, but since January 2020 expectations had increased to 24 total launches in 2020.
In March 2020, SpaceX reported producing six satellites per day.
In February 2021, Musk stated that the satellites are traveling on 25 orbital planes clustered between 53ð north and south of the equator.
SpaceX envisions to launch larger and more capable Starlink satellites on Starship, a rocket with a much larger payload capacity that is under development.