Max Q: SpaceX starts building out its production Starlink constellation – TechCrunch

There's literally a lot more stuff in space than there was last week – or at least, the number of active human-made satellites in Earth's orbit has gone up quite a bit, thanks to the launch of SpaceX's first 60 production Starlink satellites. This week also saw movement in other key areas of commercial space, and some continued activity in early-stage space startup ecosystem encouragement. Some of the'New Space' companies are flexing the advantages that are helping them shake up an industry typically reserved for just a few deep-pocketed defence contractors, and NASA is getting ready for planetary space exploration in more ways than one. The 60 Starlink satellites that SpaceX launched this week are the first that aren't specifically designated as tester vehicles, even though it launched a batch of 60 earlier this year, too. These ones will form the cornerstone of between 300-400 or so that will provide the first commercial service to customers in the U.S. and Canada next year, if everything goes to SpaceX's plan for its new global broadband service.