A mesmerizing time-lapse captures Starlink satellites cutting through space with bright streaks of light.

      NASA astronaut Don Pettit has released a new time-lapse video displaying some of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites moving through space.

      The 18-second clip, recorded from the International Space Station (ISS), also showcases city lights on Earth 250 miles below, as well as the lights of distant stars.

      Pettit is known for capturing stunning images and videos of star streaks, but this is one of the few that includes SpaceX’s Starlink satellites orbiting at low Earth altitude.

      Since the launch of the first Starlink satellites in 2019, SpaceX has deployed over 7,000 satellites into orbit through multiple launches, with the latest rocket launch occurring just a few days ago via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

      These satellites offer internet access to more than five million users and businesses on the ground, and SpaceX aims to expand its coverage to potentially include up to 42,000 satellites in the coming years. The service is mainly focused on under-served, low-density regions rather than densely populated areas, although the overarching goal is to emerge as a leading global communications provider.

      While several companies are in competition with Starlink to some extent, Amazon’s Project Kuiper service could pose a serious challenge, targeting similar residential and business markets. The company was scheduled to launch its inaugural Project Kuiper satellites from Cape Canaveral in Florida recently, but adverse weather compelled the team to cancel the mission.

      Starlink has encountered some controversy, with astronomers expressing concerns about the light reflected from the satellites interfering with their ability to study deep space. In response, SpaceX has attempted to diminish the intensity of the reflected light by applying a dark coating to the satellites and incorporating reflective film to deflect sunlight away from Earth, which may explain their prominent appearance in Pettit’s time-lapse video.

      Moreover, Starlink’s essential involvement in Ukraine’s military activities has raised issues regarding SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's unilateral control over the service, particularly after his decision in 2022 to deny coverage in Crimea during a drone strike, alongside recent public disputes with European leaders over possible service shutdowns.

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      SpaceX’s Crew-10 astronauts are preparing for their flight to the International Space Station (ISS) in a Crew Dragon spacecraft on March 12. However, in many respects, their journey to orbit commenced on Wednesday.

      The four crew members—NASA’s Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov—have just begun their quarantine at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. They will remain there until five days prior to launch, at which point they will be moved to the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center for final mission preparations.

      In what some may regard as the most significant microgravity experiment ever conducted on the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronaut Don Pettit attempted to put on a pair of pants without using his hands—by floating into them. Although Pettit is more renowned for his impressive space photography than for pant-related experiments, he shared several videos on social media over the weekend, as he endeavored to address some captivating questions about wearing pants in space.

      During NASA’s inaugural Twitch livestream from the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, current inhabitant Don Pettit and returning astronaut Matthew Dominick discussed what it is like to live and work in a satellite situated 250 miles above Earth.