4 ms·

Because orbiting communication satellites are trivially vulnerable to secret underwater sneak attacks via submarine.

johansch 11y ago
What do you mean? Satellites are either geostationary or not. If they are not geostationary you need a network of them and complex ground equipment. If they are geostationary, they incur a ping latency of a few hundred milliseconds making them worthless for modern mass Internet usage. Either way, bandwidth is quite limited compared to what is flowing through fibers today. Also: I am pretty certain US, Russia and China by now are able to kill satellites at will, geostationary or not.
- slavik81 11y ago
  "The [2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test] is the largest recorded creation of space debris in history with at least 2,317 pieces of trackable size (golf ball size and larger)." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_missile_test https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_mi... The US did their test in 1985. At this point, shooting down satellites is easy, but it has big consequences. The more debris we create, the harder it is to keep satellites up there.
  - Alupis 11y ago
    > The more debris we create, the harder it is to keep satellites up there Or astronauts, space stations, deep space probes, etc... Just ask George Clooney ;P
jauer 11y ago
There is a huge difference in the amount of bandwidth that can be moved via satellite compared to undersea fiberoptic cable (not to mention differences in latency). If all cables were cut and we went back to satellite we'd essentially be back to UUCP for worldwide datacomms for the general public. Speaking directly to communications satellites, they likely would not be immune to any conflict that affects underwater cables. US, Russia, and China all are rumored to have anti-satellite weapons and Russia has been steering satellites (spy or ASAT no one seems to know) around commercial telecom satellites
johansch 11y ago
The only possible protection: LOTS of cables. With the regular transmission advances, I think one cable (with some dozens fiber strands) could carry the entire bandwidth between e.g. US and EU.

What do you mean? Satellites are either geostationary or not. If they are not geostationary you need a network of them and complex ground equipment. If they are geostationary, they incur a ping latency of a few hundred milliseconds making them worthless for modern mass Internet usage. Either way, bandwidth is quite limited compared to what is flowing through fibers today. Also: I am pretty certain US, Russia and China by now are able to kill satellites at will, geostationary or not.

slavik81 11y ago
"The [2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test] is the largest recorded creation of space debris in history with at least 2,317 pieces of trackable size (golf ball size and larger)." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_missile_test https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_mi... The US did their test in 1985. At this point, shooting down satellites is easy, but it has big consequences. The more debris we create, the harder it is to keep satellites up there.
- Alupis 11y ago
  > The more debris we create, the harder it is to keep satellites up there Or astronauts, space stations, deep space probes, etc... Just ask George Clooney ;P

jauer 11y ago

There is a huge difference in the amount of bandwidth that can be moved via satellite compared to undersea fiberoptic cable (not to mention differences in latency). If all cables were cut and we went back to satellite we'd essentially be back to UUCP for worldwide datacomms for the general public. Speaking directly to communications satellites, they likely would not be immune to any conflict that affects underwater cables. US, Russia, and China all are rumored to have anti-satellite weapons and Russia has been steering satellites (spy or ASAT no one seems to know) around commercial telecom satellites

johansch 11y ago

The only possible protection: LOTS of cables. With the regular transmission advances, I think one cable (with some dozens fiber strands) could carry the entire bandwidth between e.g. US and EU.