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> If any company is in a position to help unserved rural areas it is SpaceX, no? Not really - it is very unlikely that SpaceX will be able to cost-effectively

> If any company is in a position to help unserved rural areas it is SpaceX, no? Not really - it is very unlikely that SpaceX will be able to cost-effectively serve high-speed internet for any interesting amount of people in a relatively small geographic area, such as the United States, as at any one time only a very small number of satellites can serve a particular area. This becomes especially problematic with any realistically achievable size of the constellation, which is going to be much closer to the current size (~1700 satellites) than to the "promised" size (~42k satellites). Laying cable seems much more achievable and maintainable than launching 42k satellites every 2-5 years as Elon is "promising" (remember that the maximum life span of any satellite in LEO, as mentioned by SpaceX, is 5 years, after which it will de-orbit naturally).

kaiju0 5y ago
The new starship platform should be able to launch 400 satellites per launch. They would only need 30 launches a year to support the constellation.
- tsimionescu 5y ago
  Sure, and each launch will only cost $2 million, and the same rocket will do earth-to-earth travel. In 10 years they'll have 3 colonies on Mars connected by hyperloops, and they'll rescue those kids with the mini-sub. I'm sure Starship will fly in a few years and carry more satellites at a better cost per ton than existing rockets, but there is no reason at all to believe anything close to the announced timelines, sizes, and costs. At any cost per launch per ton that is even somewhat comparable to any existing rocket (say half of), 42k satellites is far too expensive.
- vincnetas 5y ago
  "Only 30" launches :) this reminded me about factorio where it takes you 95% of the game to launch first rocket, and then if you built your automations right, just sit and relax and watch rockets ascend one after another without you doing anything :)

kaiju0 5y ago

The new starship platform should be able to launch 400 satellites per launch. They would only need 30 launches a year to support the constellation.

tsimionescu 5y ago
Sure, and each launch will only cost $2 million, and the same rocket will do earth-to-earth travel. In 10 years they'll have 3 colonies on Mars connected by hyperloops, and they'll rescue those kids with the mini-sub. I'm sure Starship will fly in a few years and carry more satellites at a better cost per ton than existing rockets, but there is no reason at all to believe anything close to the announced timelines, sizes, and costs. At any cost per launch per ton that is even somewhat comparable to any existing rocket (say half of), 42k satellites is far too expensive.
vincnetas 5y ago
"Only 30" launches :) this reminded me about factorio where it takes you 95% of the game to launch first rocket, and then if you built your automations right, just sit and relax and watch rockets ascend one after another without you doing anything :)