SpaceX to launch Satellite based internet service

[amirm]

This may solve our rural internet needs: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-s...-idUSKBN1H537E

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. telecommunications regulator on Thursday gave formal approval to a plan by Elon Musk’s SpaceX to build a global broadband network using satellites.

“This is the first approval of a U.S.-licensed satellite constellation to provide broadband services using a new generation of low-Earth orbit satellite technologies,” the Federal Communications Commission said in a statement.

The system proposed by privately held SpaceX, as Space Exploration Holdings is known, will use 4,425 satellites, the FCC said.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai in February had endorsed the SpaceX effort, saying: “Satellite technology can help reach Americans who live in rural or hard-to-serve places where fiber optic cables and cell towers do not reach.”

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday that SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 rocket on April 2 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. “The rocket will carry a communications satellite,” the FAA said.

The FCC said SpaceX has been granted authority to use frequencies in the Ka (20/30 GHz) and Ku (11/14 GHz) bands.

Musk, who is also the founder and chief executive of electric automaker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), said in 2015 that SpaceX planned to launch a satellite-internet business that would help fund a future city on Mars.

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Never thought my travels in an RV would help fund a city on Mars!!!

[RandyNH]

What is the Hughes Net service?

[InterBlog]

This is partially covered by another thread... first indications of the emerging tech came in Sept. 2017 when Kymeta announced a teaming relationship with Roadtrek (here).

It might solve a great many of my issues, but alas, it's not ready for prime time. We're going to have to wait a few years until we have those fancy stop-sign-looking receivers on our roofs.

[RandyNH]

Transceiver

[pdavitt]

InterBlog,

Just out of curiosity, I went on "The SatPhone Store" website and the Kymeta system for vehicles is available. There is one small drawback, it costs $63,000. That price does include a year of 40GB per month, air time, wow.

You're correct, not ready for prime time.

Pat

[Wayne&Sam]

Launching a satellite April 2! Only 4,424 more to go!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by amirm

The system proposed by privately held SpaceX, as Space Exploration Holdings is known, will use 4,425 satellites, the FCC said.

That's a LOT of satellites! Think of how many years it will take to build them all. And launch them all— or at least enough of them to allow the system to be used several hours a day, every day. The GPS satellite constellation offered global positioning for only 2 hours a day when it first went into service, and it was years before 24-hour positioning was available worldwide. The satellite-based Internet service can be expected to have similar growing pains as the satellites are launched, and will not attract many users in the early days of only partial coverage, when said partial coverage moves in both location and time over the course of a day.

And then think of what the monthly service charges will be per user in order for the company to recoup the cost of building and launching that many satellites over the lifetime of said satellites, as well as covering the cost of replacement satellites when those inevitably wear out; no satellite lasts forever.

It's likely— at least at first— to be the Internet equivalent of the Iridium marine satellite phone system, where it still costs over a dollar a minute to make a call even after you buy the equipment.

I think it's a great idea, but by the time the system is fully operational and cost-effective for Joe Average to use, it's likely to be eclipsed by even better land-based technologies, so that it's only of value for the maritime user who is far out of range of any future land-based Internet connectivity.

[Mattirs]

Originally Posted by RandyNH

What is the Hughes Net service?

This would solve the high lag time of the Hughes because they are geostationary. The low earth satellites should if designed right.

[mojo]

Originally Posted by RandyNH

What is the Hughes Net service?

Expensive, lousy, inconsistent internet service where there is no other option.

Bring on the competition.

[drairstream]

May be quite small for most. Think repeaters. Maybe nano size with only a few larger ones to link through

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by pdavitt

InterBlog,

Just out of curiosity, I went on "The SatPhone Store" website and the Kymeta system for vehicles is available. There is one small drawback, it costs $63,000. That price does include a year of 40GB per month, air time, wow.

You're correct, not ready for prime time.

Pat

OK, this just caused me to utter more expletives than everything else that's happened in the rest of my week COMBINED.

You're not kidding but yes, it appears to be the same system that the Wendlands received for (I'm assuming) considerably less than $63,536.

Why isn't there a drum roll smilie??

Ladies and gentlemen, you are looking at the system that may one day save all of our digital bacon. But it's obviously still years away. Until that time, balloons are looking better and better to me.

[pdavitt]

I can remember paying $36,000 for 32K of core memory for an IBM mainframe back in the 60s. These metamaterials components will also get cheaper. Just maybe not in my lifetime. Oh well.
Pat

[WayneG]

Originally Posted by pdavitt

I can remember paying $36,000 for 32K of core memory for an IBM mainframe back in the 60s. These metamaterials components will also get cheaper. Just maybe not in my lifetime. Oh well.
Pat

Laying around our lab someplace, I think I still have a core memory brick from our Sperry? mainframe!
Today we laugh at the lengths we went to back then for "high tech solutions"!
Maybe the next generation will laugh at smart phones & flat screen tv's?
They already think my desktop PC should be in a museum

[turk123]

Looking forward to using this network in my travels. It will require a satellite dish but looks very promising in speed and lag. Musk's currently can send these up 10 at a time. The first two boarded a rocket hired by one of his customers. He can get these up cheaper than ever before due to the reusable rocket and fairing he has. I believe he is concentrating on the US first and will have a working network very soon and later expand to the entire world.

If his plan succeeds, the satellites will generate $19 billion per year in income. He has also commented that it will be very competitively priced to land-based systems.

[pdavitt]

Originally Posted by WayneG

Laying around our lab someplace, I think I still have a core memory brick from our Sperry? mainframe!
Today we laugh at the lengths we went to back then for "high tech solutions"!
Maybe the next generation will laugh at smart phones & flat screen tv's?
They already think my desktop PC should be in a museum

I miss the punch card sorting machines. Those things were mechanical marvels and fun to watch. Just don't drop your stack of cards on the floor. Hated to have to start over from column 1.

Pat

[sbowman]

Whats really cool about this, all the satellites look like Tesla's.

Best regards and safe travels

[greghoro]

There will still be some time lag but in most situations it won't matter that much.

Except for those snowbirds pressing the Book Now button at 8:00 AM to snag that elusive Florida state park campsite in the Keys.


Greg

[AWCHIEF]

Interesting SpaceX launch yesterday. It was blacked out by the government shortly after launch. Reason: national security concerns.

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by pdavitt

I miss the punch card sorting machines. Those things were mechanical marvels and fun to watch. Just don't drop your stack of cards on the floor. Hated to have to start over from column 1.

Pat

Yup. Also known as “pieing the deck”. I just recently found a few punch cards laying around the office. I used to repair those mechanical nightmares. Still have a few of the very special tools I used to adjust them.

[LB_3]

Originally Posted by WayneG

They already think my desktop PC should be in a museum

I had the last desktop in my office and was ‘highly encouraged’ to retire this spring. I received a a tiny tablet, docking station, and a pair of 27” monitors.