If they use ion thrusters to achieve work orbit, they will lack the normal ion thrustes fuel levels to maintain work orbit, or alter orbit for a normal lifetime. I'm assuming they have to allow for post working life deorbit too.
The Starlink satellites were not released into the correct orbit. SpaceX is using their ion thrusters to try to raise the orbit, but Elon Musk said this isn’t likely to succeed.
Could SpaceX use one satellite to push another?
This procedure would deliberately sacrifice the pushing satellite, but maybe give the pushed satellite enough additional delta-v to reach a working orbit.
Once they are deployed, they aren’t connected to each other anymore and there is no way to perfectly align two satellites again. I’m assuming they don’t even have RCS they could achieve accurate translational movement with. If you push one satellite against another and they aren’t perfectly aligned so the thrust vector goes trough the combined CG, they will start to spin immediately.
I agree that alignment would be a massive challenge. There aren’t even cameras on the satellites to help with visual alignment. There’s also the possibility of damage from the pushing or the ion exhaust, more so if the imperfect alignment sets them spinning
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But, it's true: you might as well try.
And "we never give up" is a good ethos for a rocket company to cultivate.
Could SpaceX use one satellite to push another?
This procedure would deliberately sacrifice the pushing satellite, but maybe give the pushed satellite enough additional delta-v to reach a working orbit.
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