SpaceX wants to launch 100k more Starlink satellites for 100x the bandwidth

Post by JumpinJack_Cash » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:36 PM UTC

jordanb wrote: post #96

consumer451 wrote: post #5

When Starlink first became available here in poor-ish Central-EU, I was excited. Then, only months later, but after years of planning: EU funding brought fiber to my farm area, at ~$25/900mbps 10ms. While my story is just n=1, I don't understand the huge upside for Starlink outside of Africa or India, where they have However, I am dumb, and very open to be convinced.

This was always the sour economics of satellite internet. Satellite internet works for a low density of customers spread evenly across the globe. But customers are not spread evenly they mostly live in megalopolist regions that can be served more efficiently with land infrastructure. Worse most of the people not in the megalopolists have less money to spend on internet services. So your customer base are limited to p…

Post by throw0101d » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:38 PM UTC

dietr1ch wrote: post #380

digitaltrees wrote: post #379

I have started to see what I think are star link satellites at night on walks with my kids. It actually makes me sad to see that on person owns the night sky and is changing the literal stars my kids will grow up with. It feels different when it’s the government that theoretically represents people but when it’s one person that feels truly depressing.

You'll be sad to know there's another mf trying to put a mirror to reflect sunlight near twilight https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflect_Orbital

Post by natch » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:41 PM UTC

koe123 wrote: post #624

fragmede wrote: post #623

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not one person though. If zero people were using Starlink, then it would be that one person's vanity up there, but since it seems people do find it useful, those satellite lines represent humans being able to connect with modern technology out in the Sahara or in the ocean. For sailors to keep in touch with loved ones and to have a less dreary existence on long ocean voyages. And not to fret, China's managed to…

It is one person who controls it, at his discretion who gets to share in the utility. What your saying can also be true without such an ownership model, right?

Post by throwaway132448 » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:43 PM UTC

gordonhart wrote: post #647

esperent wrote: post #525

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's an American company polluting the night sky for the entire world, for a service that will ultimately be access gated by the US government/private industry. That's where the negative sentiment is coming from. Who cares which of the many equally shitty US billionaires/oligarchs is funding it?

Do you feel the same way about Guowang and Qianfan, two very real very large constellations notably not funded by US billionaires?

Post by dtagames » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:45 PM UTC

jillesvangurp wrote: post #425

up2isomorphism wrote: post #320

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a very wasteful way of getting communications to somewhat compensate the lack of competition in US telco market.

The star link network is actually remarkably cost effective in getting internet access to rural areas. There's a reason that these areas still have poor connectivity: it's just not cost effective for anyone to build land based infrastructure there. SpaceX spend a few billions on StarLink. But if you look at how much network operators have spent over the years on cables, base stations, etc. it's not all that much for…