They're just copying SpaceX. That's disappointing.
Amazon Seeks Permission to Launch 3k Internet Satellites
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Re: Amazon Seeks Permission to Launch 3k Internet Satellites
#32Anyone wanna offer me their hypothesis on what Amazon and other tech companies gain from offering internet to people who probably aren't valuable consumers?
They probably are valuable customers. Tech companies have literally no reach where the internet does not touch. If they want to expand to their full (terrifying) power, they would need to give internet access to everyone, and then control it.
Re: Amazon Seeks Permission to Launch 3k Internet Satellites
#33At what point should we start worrying about Kessler Syndrome? > The Kessler syndrome (also called the Kessler effect,[1][2] collisional cascading or ablation cascade), proposed by the NASA scientist Donald J. Kessler in 1978, is a scenario in which the density of objects in low Earth orbit (LEO) is high enough that collisions between objects could cause a cascade in which each collision generates space debris that i…
I've heard that at least with the SpaceX satellites, they have full plans for decommissioning with these satellites re-entering the atmosphere. I do agree that this is a real concern though, and we'd hope there's pretty careful consideration, considering the sheer number of satellites being launched. Still, space is big .. really big, even the space just above our planet. I don't put it past humanity to not fuck up s…
Correct on the decommissioning plans. SpaceX lists out in their FCC filings a number of things including how long it will take them to actively de-orbit satellites, how long for them to de-orbit if they lose contact/control, and also how much of the material will survive re-entry.
I have read conflicting things so don't hold me to this, but on article I read said they delayed adding the laser links to the current batch of Starlink satellites because of concerns over how much would survive the de-orbit maneuver.
Re: Amazon Seeks Permission to Launch 3k Internet Satellites
#34Maybe it's time to talk about tech-free preserves established by international treaties. E.g.: sections of each continent and ocean can be declared tech free where modern technology is forbidden on earth,sea or land. This is so we don't lose and forget the nature that forged the present.
My knee jerk reaction to this was negative, but I really do think having some sense of preservation of the ways we lived in the past, for educational reasons if nothing else, is valuable. A living museum if you will.
Re: Amazon Seeks Permission to Launch 3k Internet Satellites
#35Should anybody be putting satellites up without some credible plan for decommissioning them from the atmosphere?
If this is anything like SpaceX's constellation, the plan is that the orbits will naturally decay in < 10 years and they will burn up in the atmosphere upon re-entry.
IMHO, it would be nice if the decay orbit for each satellite were tracked accurately by Amazon and published beforehand. If these satellites truly do burn up completely -- great. But if they don't it would be great to hold Amazon accountable for any problems and for waste cleanup.
Re: Amazon Seeks Permission to Launch 3k Internet Satellites
#36Should anybody be putting satellites up without some credible plan for decommissioning them from the atmosphere?
No FCC license unless you do, so yeah - it's accounted for. Unless they want to operate entirely without US downlinks. I do ground stations for a living.
Does that mitigate the chances of debris significantly impacting future launches?
Re: Amazon Seeks Permission to Launch 3k Internet Satellites
#37Anyone wanna offer me their hypothesis on what Amazon and other tech companies gain from offering internet to people who probably aren't valuable consumers?
Satellites are outside the regulatory authority of countries they operate over. They can do far more of value than merely provide Internet access to poor people.
Satellites also have to be specialty built for their purpose. You can't just take a small communications satellite, attach a small camera, and have a spy satellite.
Well you "could" but it would be so crappy that it'd be useless.
Also LEO satellites lose their altitude rather quickly, not a great investment for spy satellites.
> Satellites are outside the regulatory authority of countries they operate over.
Except the United States (Assuming the satellite was made/operated by a US entity such as a citizen or business), so they still have PLENTY of regulations to follow.
Re: Amazon Seeks Permission to Launch 3k Internet Satellites
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
What's particulary dystopic about it? Preserving nature is valuable because we rely on the ecosystem, you can't really make that argument for the dead emptiness that is space. Ubiquitous space access even is a common theme in scifi utopias!
If you've ever looked up at the sky at night in a dark area I don't think you could honestly say it's "dead emptiness". It's fascinating to gaze up at the stars and taking that away would be a tragedy
It is very dead and very empty. Sure, it looks pretty and is useful for astrophysics. But compare that to the utility of global, low-latency internet.
Re: Amazon Seeks Permission to Launch 3k Internet Satellites
#39Are there any international agreements covering this stuff? What if China decide they want to launch another 3000 and Russia want to launch another 3000 and India and Japan and whoever else?
not a problem if they are maintained in the way the SpaceX sats are going to be.
> not a problem if they are maintained in the way the SpaceX sats are going to be.
Aka - Not a problem if they are well thought out, well planned, and maintained.
Are there international agreements that specify this is the case? Just curious, real question.
Re: Amazon Seeks Permission to Launch 3k Internet Satellites
#40The Gilded Age had nothing on this. Two billionaires are battling over ownership of communication in the sky. Is the winner "Prince of The Air"?
The various national governments of the world better wise up pretty soon to the fact that they are losing all of their leashes on these beasts they've been riding. Sooner than we think pure profit-seeking entities will be on even footing with organizations that are (or at least are supposed to be) deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. This is a deeply sobering thought.