Elon Musk, the founder and CEO, of SpaceX has had some brilliant plans to make internet access a possibility around the globe using satellites. Starlink, a project envisaged by the company got a boost when around 60 satellites were deployed successfully a few days ago, bringing the total number of such satellites to 400!
So What is Starlink?
Basically, Starlink is the company's ambitious project to launch and operate its own network of broadband satellites, which will provide low-cost Internet to remote locations on a global level.
Which means that one will be able to access the internet anywhere on the planet!
And as stated by Elon Musk,
at least 400 Starlink craft are needed before the company can begin to roll out minimal Internet coverage, and to provide moderate coverage, the company will require at least 800 satellites
As per his statement, the minimum requirement for 'moderate' coverage has already been achieved with the deployment of these 400 satellites and we could expect to see this happening in a few months, according to a tweet by Musk, which is below.
The Objectives of the project
Space and satellites have always been a novelty for most. We all have a rough idea how satellites are making global communications simpler but what about internet access?
We know that there are a lot of places on the planet where we cannot access the internet as the cost, and the maintenance, are prohibitive. But surely satellite technology should help with that. But for continuous coverage, the sheer volumes of satellites required in the skies has been a dampener for such efforts in the past.
Not anymore though. With 400 starlink satellites already deployed, the chances of us all enjoying this service seems to be closer than most would imagine. And as everyone predicts, life will not be the same after the pandemic, so having easy and cheap access from anywhere in the world should help the 'alternatives' in the coming future.
And though I am glad such an initiative is coming to fruition, I am also concerned about 'space debris' and the consequences of having another bunch of man made objects up in the sky.
But technology and innovation are there to stay, and the internet is basically a service which most people around the world take as an essential, like food and water!
So watch this space in the future.
I’m very hopeful about Starlink. It could help rebalance the world.
Yes it is expected to be an enabler like nothing before, but when I read articles about 'space junk', it worries me. But maybe they will work out a solution for that too in the future!
I see claims about that now that you mention. I believe if they create a grid around the entirety of earth with starlink, then it’ll just be an extension of earth. As if earth grew in size. That doesn’t seem like it would mess with astronomy too much to me. There is quite a lot of space up there, so I hear.
If it really does change the world, hopefully if