SpaceX, a company Elon Musk built to colonize other planets, sent two prototype communications satellites into orbit Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The satellites were a part of the company’s 18th consecutive commercial launch. The prototypes were sent to gauge the possibility of creating a network of thousands of satellites capable of providing internet to billions of people.
Musk confirmed the success of the prototypes on Twitter.
First two Starlink demo satellites, called Tintin A & B, deployed and communicating to Earth stations pic.twitter.com/TfI53wHEtz
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 22, 2018
Musk also tested a device to catch the nose cone, or fairing, of the rocket carrying the payload. The device was a large net attached to a boat meant to catch the equipment as it fell back to Earth after detaching itself. The net’s test was less successful.
Missed by a few hundred meters, but fairing landed intact in water. Should be able catch it with slightly bigger chutes to slow down descent.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 22, 2018
Musk’s project had the approval of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai actively pushed for the project, CNN reports.
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