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Could private satellite constellations (e.g SpaceX Starlink) also provide a global positioning service?

• Leherenn 8y ago
  You mean theoretically or with the current hardware they are using? Given they are going for low cost mass produced, I doubt they have the necessary hardware, especially the highly accurate clocks. If you're speaking theoretically, yes, again the hardest would probably be the clocks, but there's no reason a private company can't produce them if needed. The bigger issue would be that they would have to compete against the free, government-subsidiesed networks, which seems really tough. Maybe if they target the really high accuracy only available to the military, but even then codeless is already good enough for most applications.
  • rcMgD2BwE72F 8y ago
    >Maybe if they target the really high accuracy only available to the military, but even then codeless is already good enough for most applications. I had autonomous vehicles in mind, which would certainly benefit from a highly accurate, ubiquitous and reliable positioning system (esp. if companies like Tesla can be supplied directly by SpaceX).