Marketplace Tech Satellites provide internet access and a lot more, but the skies are getting crowded
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Feb 24, 2025 Joe Supan, a senior writer at CNET with expertise in technology and space exploration, discusses the rapid expansion of satellite internet, driven by Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper. He highlights the challenges of internet access in rural areas, the competitive race for satellite dominance, and the looming threat of space debris. Supan warns of navigation risks in increasingly crowded orbits and underscores the urgent need for better regulation and responsible management to protect our communication systems and the cosmos itself.
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Starlink's Cost and Rural Impact
- Starlink internet is expensive, costing $120 monthly with a $350 equipment fee.
- However, rural users find it cheaper than previous options, even with the high initial cost.
Satellite Boom
- Starlink has rapidly deployed thousands of satellites into low Earth orbit in just five years.
- They aim for 42,000, while projections suggest a total of 100,000 satellites by the end of the decade.
Space Race 2.0
- Starlink's success spurred a 'race to low Earth orbit,' with competitors like Amazon's Project Kuiper and a Chinese company emerging.
- These companies are also launching mega-constellations of satellites.