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DannyB [soylentnews.org] writes:

SpaceX paused Starlink launches to give its internet satellites lasers [space.com]

There's a reason for the recent lull.

SpaceX [space.com] hasn't launched any Starlink [space.com] internet satellites since June. It turns out it's because the company has been adding "lasers" to the spacecraft.

[....] "We're flying a number of laser terminals right now in space," Shotwell said, adding that SpaceX is now working to integrate lasers into all of its Starlink satellites.

"That's why we have been struggling for six or eight weeks — we wanted the next set to have laser terminals on them," Shotwell said.

[....] With this technology, SpaceX hopes that ground stations on Earth won't be necessary with every batch of satellites as part of the constellation. Making this change could allow satellite internet coverage to reach areas where ground stations cannot be built, Shotwell explained.

The recent launch lull won't last much longer [....]

[....] There are currently over 1,600 Starlink satellites in orbit, and that number will continue to grow; SpaceX has filed paperwork for up to 42,000 satellites for the constellation. But the company is actively thinking about ways to prevent collisions and to minimize risks in orbit, Shotwell said.

"The worst thing in the world is to have a collision," Shotwell said on Tuesday, adding that Starlink employs autonomous collision avoidance technology.

On areas of the earth without land, could ground stations be replaced by sharks with lasers?

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