SpaceX wants to launch 4,425 satellites into space to bring super-fast internet to the world

Space X is talking about launching 4,425 satellites to provide fast internet coverage to the world.

At a cost of 10 billion $ the ideas is to start over the US with 800 satellites, then go from there.

The story doesn't go into cost to use this. If free, that would reshape the communications world, lot's of businesses make a lot of $ from charging for this service. If there is a charge, depending on cost, there could be a shift in this industry.

Elon Musk's SpaceX wants to launch thousands of satellites into space with the aim of providing super-fast global internet coverage, according to a regulatory filing.

SpaceX – the company on a mission to colonize Mars – outlined plans to put 4,425 satellites into space in a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing from earlier this week.

That's three times the 1,419 satellites that are currently in space, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a not-for-profit group made up of scientists across the world.

Billionaire Musk – who is also the chief executive of electric car company Tesla – first announced plans for the project in 2015, with an estimated cost of around $10 billion. The FCC filing did not outline the financials of the project.
Tim Peake | ESA/NASA | Getty Images

The plan is to launch 800 satellites initially to expand internet in the U.S. And then the rest of the satellites would follow, although there was no timeline for the launch.

"The system is designed to provide a wide range of broadband and communications services for residential, commercial, institutional, government and professional users worldwide," SpaceX said in the FCC filing.

SpaceX's satellites will orbit at altitudes between 1,150 kilometers and 1,275 kilometers, allowing each one to cover a space of around 2,120 kilometers wide. According to the official filing, each satellite will weigh around 850 pounds and be the size of a small car.

Once "fully optimized", the system will be able to provide bandwith of 1 gigabytes per second for users globally. That's over 180 times faster than the current global internet speed average of 5.6 megabytes per second which was recorded in the Akamai State of the Internet report at the end of last year.

Reports earlier this year suggested Google and Fidelity had invested $1 billion into SpaceX to support the satellite project.

SpaceX is not the only company with such ambitions. Boeing has filed an FCC application to also launch satellites while OneWeb, a company backed by Airbus, is also planning a similar project.

www.cnbc.com...

And ping times as high as 1000 to 2000ms.

/second

a reply to: Terminal1
Let's act like I don't know what a ping is (I don't) could you describe what that is please?

And ping times as high as 1000 to 2000ms.

/second

a reply to: seasonal

Hm, but How Costly Will They Make this "super-fast Internet"?

Google is sure kicking things up a notch. I've got mixed feelings about it. Looks to me like someone is desperate for propaganda to reach as many ears as possible. Especially given that Google wants to suppress Alternative News sources.

Well, interesting info nonetheless! S+F

a reply to: seasonal

I think a new world-wide web needs to be created, I don't like the idea of being monitored by power-hungry, corrupt, warmonger scum

I have to admit I'm a SpaceX and Tesla fanboy. Can't help it.

These two companies are doing all the stuff I hoped would be a reality when I became an adult.

Couple all of that with Musk trying to force the human race to be space fairing, and you can see why I support what these two companies are doing.

I wish more people like Elon Musk existed on this planet.

a reply to: seasonal

1000ms is 1 second...

That signal has to bounce off a satelite and back down to Earth and then return. Takes a toll on twitch stuff on the internet like gaming. Good for streaming movies though.

Well thats an eye catcher... Thousands of Satellites.

...to provide fast internet coverage to the world.

Remember when they promised us GPS would make our life wonderful because you would know where you are? They also used GPS to guide weapons to their target.

Smart bombs and smart phones aside, how much more precision do we need to guess our location or destroy stuff?

And provide the gubment with more surveillance capability?

Sure why not, there's plenty of room.....or is there ???



Buck

a reply to: swanne

I'm not sure how global internet access is a bad thing..I mean, at the end of the day liberty depends on information more than anything else. A global scale ISP would be a fantastic way to ensure everyone has access to the same internet.

We're about 50 to 100 years from becoming a type 1 planetary society. Technologies of this scale are part of that progress.

a reply to: flatbush71

That's not exactly a to-scale image.

One of the projects ESA and NASA are working on is an orbital cleaner. A lot of the material left out there could be captured and used as raw materials in future space based platforms like stations, colonies, and bases.

a reply to: intrptr

I understand (and relate) to your feeling. However, these satellites have no ground surveillance capability. They simply act like a mirror which receives communication signal from one point on Earth and re-send it to some other point.

a reply to: projectvxn

Oh, it's not the idea of global Internet that I oppose. I actually agree with you, communication is paramount for our specie to evolve. What I do am concerned about is the ownership of the communication devices by a corporation which has a history of free speech controversies.

a reply to: swanne

Global internet relay system.

Makes sense to me. Obviously this isn't a new idea. But people often fear what they don't understand.

originally posted by: swanne
a reply to: projectvxn

Oh, it's not the idea of global Internet that I oppose. I actually agree with you, communication is paramount for our specie to evolve. What I do am concerned about is the ownership of the communication devices by a corporation which has a history of free speech controversies.

Which company? SpaceX?

I'm not sure what controversy you are referring to.

a reply to: swanne

My point was they always tell us something different from what they intend. The satellites aren't up yet. Based on the last global commo network, it materialized as a military tool, that also yielded us positioning when we drive or hike.

As a propaganda and monitoring tool, more sats translates to greater 'coverage'.

As far as speed, my computer is super duper fast compared to the machines I worked on back in the 80-90's. And slower than molasses, comparatively.

a reply to: projectvxn

Google.

That's the corp behind the whole enterprise. The very same who wishes to suppress "alternative news" journalism so to "avoid misinformation".

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Very fishy if you ask me.

originally posted by: Terminal1
And ping times as high as 1000 to 2000ms.

/second

You're not kidding. Latency is horrible with satellite. That said, it was still a much fatter pipe for downloading. It definitely doesn't seem like it's anything that would be impactful anywhere ANY terrestrial broadband was available but there are a lot of places it isn't.

a reply to: swanne

You mean they're talking about cutting off more clickbait sites from their ad network? Say it ain't so.

a reply to: swanne
Very good point.

Google.

That's the corp behind the whole enterprise. The very same who wishes to suppress "alternative news" journalism so to "avoid misinformation".