QuoteSpaceX has plans to deploy nearly 12,000 satellites in three orbital shells by the mid-2020s: initially placing approximately 1600 in a 550-kilometer (340 mi)-altitude shell, subsequently placing ~2800 Ku- and Ka-band spectrum sats at 1,150 km (710 mi) and ~7500 V-band sats at 340 km (210 mi). The total cost of the decade-long project to design, build and deploy such a network is estimated at nearly US$10 billion.]
SpaceX has plans to deploy nearly 12,000 satellites in three orbital shells by the mid-2020s: initially placing approximately 1600 in a 550-kilometer (340 mi)-altitude shell, subsequently placing ~2800 Ku- and Ka-band spectrum sats at 1,150 km (710 mi) and ~7500 V-band sats at 340 km (210 mi). The total cost of the decade-long project to design, build and deploy such a network is estimated at nearly US$10 billion.
Wiki link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink_(satellite_constellation))
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There would be 190 combinations of pairs of the top 20 financial cities. There are 435 combinations of pairs of the top 30 financial cities. If the top $100 million per year was paid by the top 20 cities, then this would be $19 billion per year. If the premium internet pairing for the connections to 21 to 30 was worth $10 million per year then this would be another $2.45 billion per year. Even with a half-price discount, the total would still be $10 billion per year.
The SpaceX Starlinks could save 30-50% of the latency time. This is because the speed of light is almost twice as fast in space as it is in a glass fiber. The value for the Starlink financial latency reduction should be even higher. Let us say it is double the New York to Chicago price. This means the premium pairing of cities is worth over $40 billion per year.
If Starlink Succeeds Then SpaceX Revenue Will Be More Than Double NASA's Budget (https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2018/12/spacex-starlink-satellites-network-will-make-over-50-billion-per-year.html)
This is assuming it all works. Pretty brilliant though, shaving off a couple dozen milliseconds on the exchanges is worth billions to the right people. The "high speed internet for the masses" stuff will just be using the untapped cycles in the technology and serve for public relations.
QuoteCurrently, the Kymeta flat satellite receivers cost about $40,000 each. They are like a flat panel TV in form factor and in factory production. They "should" be able to drop towards the price of a flat panel TV display in price. A 32-inch flat TV can be bought for about $100 and a 40-inch TV can be about $300.
Okay, so I won't be buying one soon. I have read that Google just kept hitting roadblocks getting the handoff from satellite to satellite to work properly. Still, this is starting to sound like it might actually arrive in my lifetime.
Hopefully it fares better than the Iridium Project, the closest analog to actually get off the ground (so to speak).
http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1898610_1898625_1898640,00.html
Meanwhile, I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. Most of the lands I visit around here have no cell signal and it's a place people can go to be on a digital diet. Once this launches, it will require self-control no matter where you go. In digital terms, the wilderness will become like a fridge full of cake and ice cream.
Elon Musk To Provide Internet Access for Texas School District Through Starlink
https://www.wittyscoop.com/elon-musk-to-provide-internet-access-for-texas-school-district-through-starlink/
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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ties turnaround record, nears 1000 Starlink satellites launched
https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-falcon-9-turnaround-record-tied-1000-starlink-milestone/
Funding is at risk due to the fight with Dish Network.
Short version: Dish has some claim to the 12GHz spectrum and they do not want to share. They are not actually *using* it yet, but they *hope* to use it for some 5g service and they want to reserve it all. Starlink wants a sharing arrangement. Both are claiming that the one could cause interference with the other. Starlink says the Dish plans will knock out 77% of customers.
Not only would this cost Starlink customers, but rural customers are key to their business model. There is big federal money for Starlink ($885m) and Frontier (almost $1b) for rolling out service to rural areas. Starlink claims that if they lose access to the 12GHz spectrum, they will fall below the required number of rural customers they need to get their $885m.
- https://wccftech.com/starlink-will-effectively-be-shut-down-if-dish-wins-warns-spacex-to-users/
- https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/03/spacex-slams-dishs-baseless-attempt-to-block-starlinks-fcc-funding/
- https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/10/dont-let-viasat-and-dish-block-spacex-starlink-approval-fcc-tells-court/
- https://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-starlink-vs-dish-fcc-12ghz-filings/
If it comes down to a grassroots campaign, I can say this. Starlink users are rabid fans. Dish users mostly like the company about as much as they like Verizon. Viasat, who also is lobbying against Starlink, has the lowest customer satisfaction rating in the entire ISP universe, and not by a small amount aside from the race to the bottom with the second-worst company, my (not so) beloved Hughesnet.
If it comes down to a campaign of disciplined statements on Twitter, Starlink is screwed.