Elon Musk: Not just cars, batteries, the largest internet network being built?

The richest man on the planet, approx one third of Musk's net worth is attributed to SpaceX. So why is he so interested in sending rockets up in space? One reason is: he's building the largest internet network in the world. One that will provide high speed access to anyone with a view of the heavens, any place on earth. Think he's just blowing smoke? Musk is about to launch his 2,000th satelite for this purpose. Not a typo...2000!

How to watch SpaceX launch 2,000th Starlink satellite Tuesday

Not all of the broadband spacecraft are still up there, but more of the latest version fly from Florida on Tuesday.

Eric Mack, CJNet

Jan. 18, 2022 2:39 p.m. PT

SpaceX is looking to set a strong pace for launches in 2022 as its third Falcon 9 mission of the month is scheduled to blast off from Cape Canaveral in Florida on Tuesday evening.

This will be the second Starlink mission of the year, with 49 of the company's low-Earth-orbit flying broadband routers ready to be deployed about 15 minutes after blast-off.

This mission will put the total number of Starlinks launched, including the earliest versions to make it to orbit, at over 2,000 for the first time, according to data kept by astronomer Jonathan McDowell.

However, a number of those satellites have been de-orbited or aren't currently active, as Elon Musk recently pointed out on Twitter.

1469 Starlink satellites active

272 moving to operational orbits

Laser links activate soon

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 15, 2022

This latest batch of satellites includes laser links that will allow the Starlinks to communicate in orbit and reduce the need for numerous, costly ground stations.

The Falcon 9 booster that will do the lofting is making its 10th flight, having previously launched a GPS satellite, a Turkish communications satellite, a smallsat rideshare and six other Starlink missions.

The rocket will land on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic ocean less than 10 minutes after launch. The nose cone for this mission is also recycled from previous Starlink missions.

With more favorable weather conditions for liftoff and booster recovery, now targeting Tuesday, January 18 at 7:04 p.m. ET for Falcon 9’s launch of Starlink satellites → https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 17, 2022

Launch was initially set for Monday, but was pushed back for more favorable weather conditions the next day.

As usual, SpaceX will livestream the whole thing starting about 15 minutes before liftoff at 4:04 p.m. PT and you can watch via the feed below.

First published on Jan. 17, 2022 at 11:34 a.m. PT.

Starlink Space SpaceX Science