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Starlink is Elon Musk's project utilizing a network of tens of thousands of satellites to 'shoot' internet down to Earth's surface, serving to provide broadband internet to remote areas, but it can also be used for military applications, as well as urban areas. Starlink has begun testing, so how is it doing? And why is Starlink important and essential for Elon Musk's Mars conquest dream?
In terms of market scale, Starlink can confidently deploy as there will certainly be a large user base. In the US alone, there are still up to 42 million people without broadband internet access. These are mainly people in remote, rural areas, amidst forests, amidst nature. Despite their efforts to install signal amplifiers, they have no cellphone signals, let alone high-speed fiber-optic internet. Globally, the number of households falling into the above category (and capable of paying for Starlink) reaches up to 70 million households.
Starlink is currently undergoing testing in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and New Zealand.
In Idaho, USA, a family has been using Starlink for the past 6 months, which has transformed how they communicate with the world from their secluded home. Mike Lorden, a Starlink beta user, shares that although occasional network drops occur, they are not severe. The speed is sufficient for web browsing, albeit slightly slower for audio or video calls and livestreaming, but still functional. Lorden is very satisfied with this speed in his remote setting.
How does Starlink work?
SpaceX is also developing a technology that uses lasers to transmit data between satellites, allowing internet signals to be transmitted within the satellite network to where they are needed. This solution significantly reduces the number of ground stations that SpaceX needs to build, which was the company's initial goal. And because lasers are used, data will now be transmitted at the speed of light.
For more information on how the Starlink network operates, you can refer to this article.How will users utilize Starlink?
A 'toolkit' provided by Starlink to users will include a large satellite dish, dish mount, stand, cables, a router, and a power supply. The Starlink app on your phone will guide you in selecting a location for installation to avoid obstructions, making it very simple and quick.This satellite dish has a heating component to prevent snow buildup, and it also has the ability to autonomously adjust its position to capture a better signal. You don't need to climb onto your roof to adjust the satellite dish like we used to adjust TV antennas in the past.
Starlink and its significance to Elon Musk's Mars dream
SpaceX, the company managing Starlink, also operates another business segment involving launching rockets into space carrying satellites, supplies... These rockets are reusable, and this business segment of the company has proven to be successful. Many countries are using SpaceX to send their products into space.SpaceX and Elon Musk have also frequently discussed the dream of sending humans to Mars, possibly even living there. To achieve this, SpaceX will rely on fully reusable rockets. Elon Musk estimates he will need $5 billion to fulfill that dream.This is when Starlink starts to become meaningful. The rocket launching business segment, while being utilized extensively, is not a huge market capable of generating quick, continuous, and substantial revenue. Meanwhile, Starlink is a service for end-users, and there are tens of millions of people within Starlink's potential market. With a price of $99/month, they could generate enormous revenue, and a portion of that will go towards SpaceX's dream.
Starlink isn't just for households; this satellite Internet service can also expand to businesses, be used on airplanes, ships, or by governments. Starlink has been used in the US to establish Internet in disaster areas, and the US Department of Defense is also testing Starlink. Canada has announced a $400 million plan to develop satellite Internet, while the US is allocating $900 million to Starlink to bring Internet to rural areas. Starlink is also negotiating with the UK government to receive a portion of the $6.9 billion package for nationwide Gigabit network development.The market is even more lucrative, and only Starlink can generate enough revenue and profit to fulfill Elon Musk's desires.There's one place where Starlink isn't welcomed, and that's Russia. Russia wants its own independent network not reliant on the US, and the government is considering penalizing citizens if they sign up to use Starlink.
Elon Musk announced that Starlink will spin off into a separate company and go public. While Starlink is expected to incur losses initially, if successful, it will bring substantial returns to SpaceX as a major shareholder. And in the event of failure or mishap, Starlink will have little to no impact on SpaceX's space business segment.Starlink will also face competition from other companies. Canada's Telesat, Amazon's Kuiper project, the UK's OneWeb (although OneWeb primarily serves businesses)... are potential competitors actively deploying satellites into orbit to provide Internet services to the ground.
The significance of Starlink becomes even more apparent when Elon Musk's project to send humans to Mars succeeds. At that point, those living on Mars will require Internet to communicate with Earth, and Starlink is the tool to make this happen. We could have the first interplanetary Internet thanks to Starlink.
