04-22-2022, 09:55 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-22-2022, 09:56 PM by Scott Allen.)
(04-22-2022, 09:00 PM)Anne K Wrote: Hi Anne-
We also saw the satellite train last night just out of luck. It was quite spectacular, wasn't it?
I was outside looking for something and happened to spot the train.
I have seen the satellites much more spread out, but post-launch (yesterday) they are much more clustered and these were just hours into orbit.
Here's a website you can use for predictions, although it isn't 100% accurate with the visibility:
https://findstarlink.com/
The satellites went out of view when they crossed over the day/night terminator, that is, the dividing line between sunlight and darkness from that altitude.
With no sunlight for reflection, the birds went into darkness and appeared to disappear from our perspective.
I am not an expert on their orbital design or propulsion, but they do use Hall thrusters, which use an electric field to accelerate the propellant.
Over time, the satellites will go into their proper orbits and use it for orbital control, collision avoidance and de-orbit at end of life.
Scott