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I have a theory they're buying it more for the engineering talent and personnel, than any intention to run a narrow-bandwidth cubesat M2M communications network

I have a theory they're buying it more for the engineering talent and personnel, than any intention to run a narrow-bandwidth cubesat M2M communications network as a separate thing to starlink.

bpodgursky 5y ago
Other than the sat-to-sat communications (which starlink is also planning) is there any real difference between the product offerings? Seems like a reasonable theory.
- apendleton 5y ago
  Very different in the details. I commented above, but tldr: Starlink is suitable for high-bandwidth applications but requires a complicated, high-power antenna. Swarm is only suitable for very-low-bandwidth applications (IoT), but can get by with very simple hardware. They're not really competitors.
duskwuff 5y ago
That sounds likely. SpaceX is a lot further along in development than Swarm appears to be -- it's unlikely that they see much value in the specific technologies Swarm has developed. Interestingly, Swarm had launched some of their microsatellites on SpaceX vehicles.
marsokod 5y ago
My theory is more that they will add the functionality to Starlink. Worst case, you just plug the RF part of the swarm cubesat on the outside of a Starlink. This way Starlink immediately supports low power devices, has a ground segment for the end-users readily available, and solves the latency/backhaul problem that all these cubesat constellations have.
- dom_hutton 5y ago
  It's worth noting that it won't be as simple as plugging in Swarms' payload - there will be singificant necessary engineering work to validate the RF and power characteristics of the integration. Interesting work I'm sure.
sandworm101 5y ago
My theory: they are buying out a potential competitor, and thier IP, before they become a threat. Killing them in the cradle as it were. It sends a strong signal to anyone else talking about satellite-based network services.
- eganist 5y ago
  So they're pulling a Facebook/Instagram? Here's hoping someone with investigatory power is reading this.
- grecy 5y ago
  > they are buying out a potential competitor I think it's pretty clear SpaceX doesn't have any competitors in the satellite constellation business. SpaceX will spend something like ten billion dollars to build out the full Starlink constellation using their own launch services, which are vastly cheaper than anything anyone else has. Potential competitors would have to spend an insane amount of money to launch their constellations, which basically means it will never happen.
  - sandworm101 5y ago
    So they are in violation of antitrust rules? If space is the future, SpaceX is the railroad and should not grant cheaper rates for cargo from its other businesses.
    - toomuchtodo 5y ago
      Good luck arguing this to regulators. They are cheap, but not the only option, both in the US and globally.
    - ctdonath 5y ago
      Can argue SpaceX is a global telecom company which is selling excess transport capacity to fund their transport cost center.
    - nickik 5y ago

I have a theory they're buying it more for the engineering talent and personnel, than any intention to run a narrow-bandwidth cubesat M2M communications network as a separate thing to starlink.

bpodgursky 5y ago

Other than the sat-to-sat communications (which starlink is also planning) is there any real difference between the product offerings? Seems like a reasonable theory.

apendleton 5y ago
Very different in the details. I commented above, but tldr: Starlink is suitable for high-bandwidth applications but requires a complicated, high-power antenna. Swarm is only suitable for very-low-bandwidth applications (IoT), but can get by with very simple hardware. They're not really competitors.

duskwuff 5y ago

That sounds likely. SpaceX is a lot further along in development than Swarm appears to be -- it's unlikely that they see much value in the specific technologies Swarm has developed. Interestingly, Swarm had launched some of their microsatellites on SpaceX vehicles.

marsokod 5y ago

My theory is more that they will add the functionality to Starlink. Worst case, you just plug the RF part of the swarm cubesat on the outside of a Starlink. This way Starlink immediately supports low power devices, has a ground segment for the end-users readily available, and solves the latency/backhaul problem that all these cubesat constellations have.

dom_hutton 5y ago
It's worth noting that it won't be as simple as plugging in Swarms' payload - there will be singificant necessary engineering work to validate the RF and power characteristics of the integration. Interesting work I'm sure.

sandworm101 5y ago

My theory: they are buying out a potential competitor, and thier IP, before they become a threat. Killing them in the cradle as it were. It sends a strong signal to anyone else talking about satellite-based network services.

eganist 5y ago
So they're pulling a Facebook/Instagram? Here's hoping someone with investigatory power is reading this.
grecy 5y ago
> they are buying out a potential competitor I think it's pretty clear SpaceX doesn't have any competitors in the satellite constellation business. SpaceX will spend something like ten billion dollars to build out the full Starlink constellation using their own launch services, which are vastly cheaper than anything anyone else has. Potential competitors would have to spend an insane amount of money to launch their constellations, which basically means it will never happen.
- sandworm101 5y ago
  So they are in violation of antitrust rules? If space is the future, SpaceX is the railroad and should not grant cheaper rates for cargo from its other businesses.
  - toomuchtodo 5y ago
    Good luck arguing this to regulators. They are cheap, but not the only option, both in the US and globally.
  - ctdonath 5y ago
    Can argue SpaceX is a global telecom company which is selling excess transport capacity to fund their transport cost center.
  - nickik 5y ago