What is Internet through Satellite ?
High speed internet access which are provided through communication satellites moving in earth's low orbit directly to users home or mobiles.
Many companies are already into this sector and providing same services like Viasat & Echostar, but the service they provide is through their subsidiaries. They work in a very small scale with limited number of satellites and geographical coverage. Yet, they provide services to very remote locations as well as crucial projects.
Even ISRO has done the process in very small scale in providing satellite internet services to remote villages and location to telemedicine and necessary sectors.
Elon Musk has started the service of satellite internet at a large scale to provide internet all over the globe.
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In the year 2015, Elon Musk announced to start the project called starlink. Under this project space organization named as SpaceX will send thousands of communication satellites that will cover the earth to provide internet through satellites directly.
On Oct 2019, the project came to live when Elon Musk gave a tweet using its own internet through satellite communication.
About Starlink Project
Under the project Starlink, SpaceX will develop a satellite constellation around earth that will be comprising of nearly 42,000 low earth communication satellites to provide internet everywhere around the world.
SpaceX has developed low cost and high performance satellite bus and certain ground transceivers for the project.
The project aims that by 2025-2030, the company would have ability to provide internet for anyone and everyone.
Is it possible ?
Yes, for an organisation like SpaceX whose capabilities have been proven time and again.
SpaceX has abilities to design, develop and even launch own satellites at much cheaper cost.
Looking at the data, as of May 2019, it has launched 62 satellites and by end of 2019 a total of 100+ satellites.
Total cost of Starlink project is 10-20 billion dollars. And till 2021-22, the company has target to launch 1500-1600 low earth orbit communication satellites with weight of 500-550 kg per satellite.
Why India is not ready to use ?
As of November 2021, Government of India has asked citizens not to use the services of starlink internet service because the company has not taken necessary regulatory approvals from Telecom Authorities.
The company has said that they are looking forward to take all necessary approvals after detail introspection of rules and regulations to be complied with made by Government of India.
Do share your views on use of internet through satellite and possible drawbacks.
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