/sci/ - Science & Math

https://spacenews.com/big-constellations-no-longer-necessarily-mean-small-satellites/

> SpaceX operates by far the largest constellation by satellite count and mass after launching more than 4,000 Starlinks in four years. Most of the Starlinks deployed to date weighed between 200 and 300 kilograms ready for launch — already close to the 500-kilogram cut-off point for being considered a small satellite under some definitions (others set the upper limit at 1,200 kilograms).

> Starlink V2 satellites coming in at around 2,000 kilograms each would easily eclipse these, pushing SpaceX even further ahead of the historic title holder for the world’s largest constellation: Earth observation operator Planet with hundreds of satellites that are mostly in the region of 4 kilograms.

> SpaceX started deploying bigger V2 Mini Starlinks in February while the company waits on its heavy-lift Starship rocket to be able to launch full-scale Starlink V2s to improve broadband services. SpaceX has not released specifics about the V2 Mini but regulatory filings suggest they are around 800 kilograms.

> OneWeb has 634 broadband satellites in LEO and has said its second generation will be bulkier than the 150-kilogram spacecraft currently in its fleet, which recently became the world’s second-biggest by number, at around 500 kilograms each.