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Astronomers don't "own" the skies, the rest of humanity simply considers the benefits of astronomy to be higher than some satellite internet vanity project.
by knolax 6y ago
Astronomers don't "own" the skies, the rest of humanity simply considers the benefits of astronomy to be higher than some satellite internet vanity project.
- pfdietz 6y agoWe can judge the value humanity places on astronomy by looking at how much money is allocated for it. I suspect it will come out less valuable, to humanity, than the service Starlink will provide.
- q3k 6y ago> We can judge the value humanity places on astronomy by looking at how much money is allocated for it. That is a very naive viewpoint.
- pfdietz 6y agoYes, I am sure astronomers believe in their hearts that whey they are doing is supremely important and valuable. But astronomers should also understand selection bias. Astronomers are inherently biased to believe highly of the value of what they are doing, or they would not be astronomers.
- knolax 6y agoElon Musk and some investors don't represent humanity. Hell I doubt even SpaceX values Starlink all that much, most employees I know say that it exists mostly as a filler payload during launches.
- badwolf 6y agoThe fact that they are doing tens of dedicated launches solely for Starlink says otherwise. Starlink is looking to be a multi-billion dollar business by itself.
- TeMPOraL 6y agoWhose whole point was a sustainable funding source for SpaceX R&D. In this sense, it's fair for SpaceX employees to consider it "filler payload", given that they have their sights set on Mars. And everyone else, astronomers included, will benefit from drastically cheaper access to space.
- gizmondo 6y agoA bit preposterous to speak on behalf of "the rest of humanity", don't you think?