Can Elon Musk's space-based 'Starlink'​ internet project really provide cheap broadband for everyone?
Elon Musk - Starlink space internet

Can Elon Musk's space-based 'Starlink' internet project really provide cheap broadband for everyone?

Not content with building electric cars and space rockets, Elon Musk now has plans on hijacking the global broadband market via his ambitious 'Starlink' project.

The basic idea is built around a constellation of thousands of connected satellites enveloping the globe in a low orbit to provide low cost, high powered broadband for everyone on the planet. His aim is to launch 4425 satellites via his re-usable SpaceX rockets and once the network is fully deployed he claims that around 3 billion people who currently don't have reliable access to the internet will have the ability to go online. To put that number of satellites into some kind of perspective, there are currently less than 1500 working satellites in operation around the earth, so clearly this not a small scale endeavour.

And the benefits for the consumer? No more lag, no cold spots on the other side of your house, faster download / upload speeds and significantly cheaper costs.

The anticipated timeline is around 5 years to complete (only 3 satellites have been launched to date). And the total cost? A whopping $9.8 billion (£7.1bn). But if he captures the lucrative broadband market on a global basis, he will quickly be able to recoup his investment. And what will he use the profits on? To send a manned mission to Mars with a longer term plan to populate the red planet. As you do.

Professor Mark Handley from University College London has produced a video of how the Starlink will operate via 32 different orbital planes with 50 satellites rotating on each of them:

Google have also looked to solve the infrastructure problem via various initiatives including 'Project Loon' (hot air balloons acting as cell towers in the sky) or a network of drones but both of these are only seen as temporary measures rather than a realistic permanent solution. Rumour has it that Facebook has a project entitled 'Athena' which is apparently similar in approach to Starlink but they would need to partner with someone to launch their network of satellites and, as such, their options are somewhat limited.

If the Starlink system becomes successful it could herald the end for the cell tower network and fibre optic cables which we currently use for delivering our access to the web. Beyond that, there is a prediction that phones numbers will become obsolete because web based services such as WhatsApp and Messenger will become your unique identifier for all your telecommunication needs.

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Jay DeBerry

Project Manager at BD

1y

He has raised my installation cost before it has been installed lol I guess to cover 3rd world freebies 

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Eric Severance

Oracle|Sun High End Server Support at Oracle Corporation

3y

What areas? How about this: I don't have access to cable, fiber or even DSL. I can afford Starlink. I currently have my only option: satellite. Its terrible. But, it mostly does the job I really need it to. But forget any streaming video. Zoom? Sure, if I turn video off. YouTube, Netflix... sort of. I click play, let it queue up while I go get that very 90's cup of coffee we all used to hear about and then, maybe it will have downloaded enough to watch uninterrupted. But rarely all the way thru. Popcorn anyone? If someone who lives close enough to Philadelphia to see its glow on a clear night, and works close enough to NYC to be in that TV/radio broadcast market can't get decent broadband at home but can definitely afford it... how many more of us are there? 4G is unreliable here and 5G will never make it out here. Not real 5G anyway. As such, in this work from home world we now live in, why wouldn't I want, or even need, something like this? I really don't think I'm anywhere near alone. And if current "5th gen" satellite (HugesNet, ViaSat...) has mostly figured out how to get the signal thru the pouring rain (yes, really) I'm sure Starlink can figure something similar out.

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Yes. Not only "can" it, but it WILL.

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Wendy Barker

Life, Health, Property and Casualty Insurance Agent

5y

Amazing

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