The satellites used for this project have been manufactured to absolute perfection and this is crucial to make the slightest of adjustments when in orbit. Starlink satellites have been designed to be compact so that SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket can take a large amount of satellites at the same time, which is why the satellites only weigh 260kg and have a foldable solar array to minimise the amount of volume consumed by each satellite.
A possible issue for satellites this low in earth’s orbit is that they could collide with space debris causing catastrophic damage to the whole network. For this reason, SpaceX have implemented a debris tracking system into these satellites with the help of the Department of Defence, which gives these satellites the ability to autonomously avoid collision, eliminating the chance for human error.
To make these adjustments, an ion propulsion system has been fitted into each satellite, which will allow them to make corrections in space to ensure that they remain in orbit and in the designated position for best performance.