Starlink space-based internet, explained

Starling aims to bring broadband Internet access to the masses by launching 10s of thousands of satellites into low Earth orbit. They've already diploid. More than 800 satellites so far, and beta testers are already hooking up there. Starlink Internet and running speed tests. What sort of Internet services can Starling users expect? And how will this massive deployment of new satellites affect the business star gazing an space traffic going on above our heads? Star links Internet service aims to fill a dire need in the world. The International Telecommunications Union estimates that as of 2019, almost half the world's population does not use the Internet and the lack of access is not evenly distributed. Unequal access to the Internet means unequal access to a critical part of our world economy. Starling hopes to reduce the inequality in Internet access by blanketing the Earth with satellites. This year the company has been focusing on getting services up and running in the USA and Canada with hopes to go global. By 2021, Starling has already began what it calls a better than nothing. Beta test of their satellite Internet services. Here's the rundown. Upfront. Beta testers for starlings Internet service can expect to pay 499$ for the cyber truck style router and antenna seen in these photos uploaded to the R Slash Starling subreddit by User Big Sky Relief. After that, it's 99$ per month for that sweet space based Internet. While that's noticeably more than what I pay for terrestrial Internet, starlings, prizes compareable to other satellite Internet providers such as ViaSat, Ann Hughes Net. The main difference is that the legacy satellite Internet providers offer monthly equipment leasing plans, meaning less upfront cost. Starling estimates average speeds for its beta tests will be between 50 and 150 megabits per second and a latency of around 20 to 40 milliseconds. With some brief interruptions in coverage to be expected due to the fact that the Earth has not yet been fully engulfed in Starling satellites. Another common concern among customers of satellite Internet providers is the dreaded data cap. Users who exceed their data caps will see their services severely throttled. So far, there isn't any indication of whether or not starlings Internet service will employ these sorts of data caps. Of course, blanketing the earth and 10s of thousands of satellites doesn't just affect current and future Starling customers. There was almost immediate backlash when SpaceX launched its first batch of 60 Starling satellites back in May of 2019, as fears mounted in the astronomy community that the bright reflective satellites in low Earth orbit would make studying the night Sky much more difficult. Elon Musk responded by promising the satellites orientation could be adjusted to help the astronomers make important observations as needed, and that efforts would be made to dim the brightness of future satellites. The astronomy community is not yet settled on whether these darkening efforts are sufficient. There's also serious concern that the massive increase in number of satellites will increase the risk of collisions, which could create catastrophic fields of debris. All lost Sandra Bullock in gravity that could bring down critical space based infrastructure. Starlings website says that its satellites are equipped with an autonomous collision avoidance system to prevent such disasters to maneuver. The satellites are equipped with ion propulsion thrusters in order to avoid becoming space junk. These thrusters will help safely. D orbit the satellites. Starling says will burn up on reentry. SpaceX has always been consistent when it comes to keeping its eyes on the Big Red Prize. Mars and their rollout of Star Link has been no different. SpaceX President and CEO Gwynne Shotwell has hinted in an interview with time that Starling could serve as a model for eventual telecommunication system around Mars. Starling users have also reported that, within the terms of service, there's a hint at SpaceX is plans for a future Mars settlement. The terms of service require users to recognize Mars as a free planet and that no Earth based government has authority over Martian activities. Starlink isn't alone in its mission to bring broadband to the masses. Amazon has announced its own constellations for satellites called Project Kiper. Amazon says it will invest more than 10 billion dollars in Project Kiper and has FCC approval to deploy and operate more than 3000 satellites. As always, thanks so much for watching. I'm your host Jesse oral. Stay safe out there everybody.