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So now one company controls the satellites in the skies, from the uplink to the downlink. When do we add other companies into the mix? We could have an "Interne
by chatmasta 9y ago
So now one company controls the satellites in the skies, from the uplink to the downlink. When do we add other companies into the mix? We could have an "Internet of satellites" that operates on a BGP type protocol. The satellites could autonomously position themselves and route traffic amongst each other according to the protocol. It would be just like the Internet now, but with routers that could arrange themselves in 3-dimensional space. That would be so cool.
- kilroy123 9y agoThey have no real satellites up there yet. They do have two prototype testing sats though. In fact, SpaceX is actually really behind on this. http://www.oneweb.world/ http://www.oneweb.world/ actually has sats built now and are building the rest of the constellation now. So SpaceX will not be alone if they actually manage to build a constellation. Also, the Iridium next constellation is half way up and running. Which is technically a LEO constellation that can provide internet.
- tbabb 9y agoSpaceX currently has test satellites in orbit.
- greglindahl 9y agoGiven all the incredibly complicated stuff that needs to be done to talk between things whizzing around the Earth that quickly, I don't think it's going to standardized any time soon.
- Robotbeat 9y agoThere are at least 2 other serious players in LEO satellite constellations who have launched prototypes or will shortly. Oneweb (which doesn't do sat-to-sat comms, so is just a "last mile" provider, like Globalstar is for sat phone) and Telesat (following an Iridium-like sat-to-sat approach, just like SpaceX is), which launched a bunch of prototypes even earlier than SpaceX did. ...and a whole bunch of other players. So competition is definitely a thing.