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

Post by ilikehurdles » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 4:21 PM UTC

rglullis wrote: post #778

tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #578

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Change is inevitable. I love seeing artificial objects in space, because it shows that we, humanity, are finally getting there. Elon doesn't own space, he just happens to be the one who is currently best at making it reachable. There is plenty of space for everyone else, and others will get there, eventually. I could eat myself up with envy over the money he's making from it... or be glad that it's at least someone g…

We don't need to have space literally transformed into junkyards to make progress, and there is nothing going wrong with going a lower pace if it means reduced impact on the rest of society.

Post by rr808 » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 4:26 PM UTC

lern_too_spel wrote: post #718

rr808 wrote: post #679

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its more the other way around. Its mostly used by the wealthiest few percent, the majority of the world has to pay for the damage it causes.

As long as the externalities are paid for, I don't see the problem. Musk has made the world a worse place in many ways, but I don't see how this is one of them.

Post by parineum » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 4:29 PM UTC

bell-cot wrote: post #648

advael wrote: post #558

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't speak to the world as a whole but the US has we spent 50 years gutting most government functions that aren't part of the police/military/surveillance apparatus (and many of those as well). SpaceX itself is an example of the primary mechanism of this: Diverting funding to private, no-bid contracts that remove both market forces and democratic oversight from those services while also ballooning their costs

While there's a lot of truth to your "gutting most gov't functions" claim, you might want to compare SpaceX's subsidies and launch costs with those of the gov't's traditional providers. And look at myriad $billions that have been squandered on the Senate Launch System. There are plenty of solid reasons to despise Elon - no need for counterfactuals.

Post by throwaway87543 » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 4:30 PM UTC

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.

Post by weezing » Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 4:34 PM UTC