Starlink

[Jstpssng]

We have never had land line phone service out here. First phone - Motorola Bag Phone - ATT service. Not too expensive - limited minutes - fairly good reception. Then along came digital. Phones got tiny and service was spotty & expensive. Now I have this dam Apple iPhone XR. It will be long out of date by the time I figure it out. At least, I can make/receive phone calls on this "miracle of modern science".

I also had a bag phone with a regional provider. I had better service with that in 1996 than I get now with my current employer provided "smart phone." I've gone back to a landline for my phone/internet and also back to planning my day around being home if I need to make a phone call... just like before my first cell phone almost 25 years ago.

 

[hawkeye08]

Might get interesting if this really is available next year... if the price is reasonable, then it will have the potential to really cut into business for existing services in rural areas especially.. stay tuned.

 

[Oaktree]

Starlink mid 2020 launch? I'll believe it when I see it considering Elon Musk's reputation for over selling and under delivering!

I was thinking the same thing.

Yes, Starlink has the potential to be a game-changer for many ISPs. They will be forced to adjust or disappear.

We've heard this song before. Remember Google fiber? That kind of fizzled out.
If (big if) it works as advertised, is deployed nationwide and the price is reasonable it would be great, but I'm not holding my breath. Lower orbit=more satellites needed, and how many will be in range of where it's needed most (and has the fewest potential subscribers per square mile). I think we'll all be driving electric cars long before this is reality.
Call me a skeptic, but I've seen too much vaporware over the years .

 

[rekees4300]

That's a valid point, we'll know more 1 year from now. Let's keep our fingers crossed to see if Elon can walk-the-walk as well as he talks-the-talk. :soapbox:

 

[Diggin It]

Where are people getting the idea that service will be publicly available on any wide scale within a year?

 

[rekees4300]

Where are people getting the idea that service will be publicly available on any wide scale within a year?

From this article but "sufficient coverage" isn't explicit: SpaceX's Satellite Internet Plans for Mid-2020 Launch in the US

"On Tuesday, SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell mentioned the launch date for the US market, during a media roundtable, according to SpaceNews. The company's goal is to launch six to eight additional batches of satellites over the next months so that the broadband service has sufficient coverage."

 

[rekees4300]

Astronomers sound the alarm about Elon Musk's project.

SpaceX and Starlink are changing the night sky, and fast - CNET

 

[MAD777]

Before telegraph, electricity, telephone and cable TV, we didn't have poles lining every street in America with multiple wires running everywhere.

 

[Jchonline]

Can’t they just make them non reflective?

 

[rekees4300]

Can稚 they just make them non reflective?

The article mentions that solution but results are unclear.

With Starlink satellites already marring astronomical observations at this very early stage, there's been an outcry from astronomers and a promise from SpaceX to work with scientists and remedy any of their concerns. An experimental "DarkSat" with a coating meant to make it less reflective was launched with one batch of Starlink satellites, but it's unclear if the approach can work.

The dark coating may cause the satellite to absorb more heat from the sun and ultimately malfunction. When Bassa attempted to observe the DarkSat in January, it didn't appear to be much fainter than its uncoated Starlink siblings. Other astrophotographers, including Thierry Legault, recorded similar observations in the video below. Bassa hopes to take another look soon to see what exactly is going on with the experimental satellite, but told me that weather has been uncooperative so far.

 

[Jchonline]

The article mentions that solution but results are unclear.

Thanks for clarifying. I doubt there is any way Astronomers are going to stop these giants from progress. Bezos, Musk, and other corps may be in the running. Light pollution has ruined many aspects of astrophotography around cities. Now even those in rural areas wont be able to escape the mark of “progress.”

For those wondering, most of astrophotography uses long exposures. So any light source that stays in the frame ruins the final image. That’s why you see the lines across the screen. Those are repeated satellite passes over a few minutes time. To this end, even if they black them out there will be a faint black line across the image instead of a white one.

 

[rekees4300]

SpaceX launches 60 more Starlink satellites bringing total to 400+. Goal is 1,000 by end of 2020.

SpaceX sends 6 more Starlink rockets to orbit, nails the landing - CNET


Elon Musk says Starlink to begin public beta in roughly six months (aka October).

Elon Musk says Starlink internet private beta to begin in roughly three months, public beta in six – TechCrunch

 

[MAD777]

Can't wait!

 

[rekees4300]

Can't wait!

Ditto ... if Starlink is user-friendly, fast, unlimited data, reliable, and the price is reasonable it will be a game-changer for rural folks. An indoor antenna will be icing on the cake. :cake:

 

[hutchman]

Been keeping my eye on it. Lots of property I have has no connectivity options at all, well at least for the type of work I do.

 

[rekees4300]

Been keeping my eye on it. Lots of property I have has no connectivity options at all, well at least for the type of work I do.

Join the club ... 7.7 billion people on Earth and 4.5 billion (58%) have Internet access. Starlink's mission is to connect EVERYBODY. :earth:

World Internet Users Statistics and 2020 World Population Stats

 

[cqaigy2]

I"m on the lookout for this one too.

 

[hutchman]

Elon Musk says Starlink internet private beta to begin in roughly three months, public beta in six – TechCrunch

 

[kf4uda]

Musk has always impressed me. He has not succeeded in everything yet he has not let failure derail him. The first time I saw Spacex land a rocket booster on a barge floating in the ocean, I knew they had it going on. I don’t doubt that Starlink will be successful in time.

 

[BoylermanCT]

The plan is for 40,000 Starlink satellites. Since Sputnik, humans have launched 9,000 satellites. 5,000 are still in orbit, 2,000 are still operating. While I appreciate getting internet access to remote places, I have to think there is a better and cheaper way to do it. The satellites are visible with the naked eye and already are interfering with astronomers. Several of the Starlinks have stopped working and are already space junk. I personally don't want to see my beautiful night sky taken over by satellites that will be orbiting junk after a few years. Hope there is a better answer.

I am a fan of Musk, and SpaceX. Love how they land their rockets back on the launchpad. Makes a ton more sense than NASA's way of dropping them in the ocean. But launching 40,000 satellites for internet access may not be worth it in the long run.