On Saturday, May 30, SpaceX launched a new rocket with two American astronauts together with NASA in the first space shuttle flight launched from US soil in nearly a decade. And while many may be familiar with SpaceX, it's founder Elon Musk, and their mission to make commercial space travel a possibility, the space company is also looking to share the internet to the world through Starlink.
Aside from exploring space travel, SpaceX is also currently developing a constellation of satellites to deliver internet worldwide under Starlink. Thanks to reusable launch rockets, these low-orbit satellites cost a fraction of the price of typical satellite launches, making it easier and more affordable to launch satellites at scale. According to SpaceX, the satellite internet system is designed to offer speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second.
Within the next year, Starlink expects to offer satellite internet to the entire planet, including remote locations where internet isn't currently available. The plan involves launching a vast constellation of mass-produced satellites into low-altitude orbit. The satellites will transmit internet signals to earth-based hubs, delivering superfast connection speeds. As of this month, 422 Starlink satellites have been launched.
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How will Starlink work, and how much will it cost?
SpaceX hasn't released pricing details yet for their internet service, but the company has continued to stress that pricing will be affordable. The orbiting satellite network will cover the globe, and communicate with each other via lasers, which reduces lag time and enables a speedier connection.
The satellites will be launched into much lower orbits than other satellites; this helps prevent a buildup of space junk, as dropping satellites will quickly burn up in the atmosphere. Low flying satellites also transmit data much more quickly.
At least 400 satellites need to be in place and operational before "minor" internet coverage can begin. Additional launches are expected every month this year, with the full constellation projected to be in place within a few years. Customers in the northern half of the US and Canada may be able to sign up for Starlink by late 2020. Starlink will be poised to offer internet service to most of the world by sometime in 2021.
Currently, SpaceX has rocket launches scheduled regularly from now into January 2023, but near-global service is expected to begin sometime during 2021.
What do people really think of SpaceX and Starlink?
The team at SatelliteInternet.com recently surveyed hundreds of Americans asking how much they really know about SpaceX, Starlink and Elon Musk to find out exactly how much people know about the private aerospace company.
Here are some of their key findings:
- 61% have heard of SpaceX, but only 30% have heard of Starlink.
- 45% think Starlink will be available only to people in off-grid areas. (It will be available nationwide.)
- 23% said they would leave their current ISP for Starlink while 77% said they wouldn't.
- 45% believe Starlink won't be cheaper than current satellite internet options.
- 54% don't believe Starlink will be any safer than other types of internet.
Additionally, over 70% of those surveyed underestimated Musk's net worth. Nearly a third of those surveyed said they believed Musk's net worth is as low as $3 billion, rather than his actual net worth of nearly $37 billion (and counting).
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