Elon Musk’s SpaceX Internet Satellite Program

SpaceX has ambitions of exploring the space beyond other planets. However, Elon Musk the owner of Tesla, stated his new firm has not got its eyes away from the earth. The company has ambitions of making the world a better place to be through the provision of Fast, Reliable and Affordable internet access. There is an increasing demand for internet services all over the world. When we go online, we expect affordable services, reasonable costs, reliable infrastructure and uncensored information. Fast, affordable and reliable internet is important in the fast paced business world. It will enhance fast response time to online tools, enhance business productivity, efficiency for remote offices, backups and video conferencing. An unreliable connection will increase the downtime which can cause lost opportunities.

That is the reason behind Elon Musk’s ambitions to put more than 4,000 satellites on the space. His ultimate goal is to mask the world with fast, reliable and affordable internet. The company recently outlined its plans to put a network of internet providing satellites around the planet. This will come true though the launch of Starlink. This satellite constellation project’s main goal is to develop a low-cost, high performance satellite bus to implement an internet communication system. Even though this looks as a good thing, Satellite companies face their own regulatory issues. They can only provide services into a specific area that the government has designated. In the recent past, the company situated in California was asking for permission from the USA government to proceed with its operations and operate a massive network of 4,425 satellites. This will provide a high speed, global internet coverage.

Elon Musk said that the operation is aimed at providing a wide range of ‘’broadband and communication services for residential, commercial, institutions, government and commercial users around the world’’. There are numerous disadvantages associated with optic cable internet such as ‘’reduced speed’’ during peak times, lack of connectivity in your area and many more. This is the reason why SpaceX is focused at providing a space based alternative. A reliable alternative that will close all the gaps left by the cable, fiber-optics and other terrestrial internet access that is currently available in the market.

Watch The SpaceX HISPASAT 30W-6 Mission Launch

This company is underway to finalize preparations to launch internet satellites that is planned to happen in 2019. However, the company launched a prototype satellite this year. This is one of its steps in testing the satellite before the due time. Musk’s space exploration firm has developed technology that will allow rockets to rise to the space, unload their payload to the space and then land back to the earth. This is the technology that Musk tends to utilize to provide the world with reliable internet alternatives to the current connections.

The company spokesperson said that most places in the USA are not connected with the tradition network connections and this unbalances competitiveness through broadband internet speed in the USA. The company’s satellites will provide ‘’mesh’’ network that will be able to solve all the existing problems associated with the existing internet connections in the world.

SpaceX Internet Satellite Program Went Before Senate Committee

Patricia Cooper the SpaceX vice president testified in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and transportation that the plans are still underway and she also outlined the SpaceX plans. She also gave the timetable of two constellation-one on low Earth Orbit and the other on Very Low Earth orbit. These plans will provide a stiff competition to other terrestrial ISPs. This competition will lead to improved internet connectivity in the densely populated urban areas and enhance the services from the Internet of Things.

With the growing cost of accessing internet, SpaceX tends to reduce the cost of launching satellites and eventually the cost of providing internet to the users worldwide. The fact that the existing Satellite Internet services and satellite telephones use geostationary orbit that is just 22,000 miles above the sun, they cannot be able to cover the planet with their wireless signals. That is the reason why they have to launch several satellites and hence incur increased costs. This is the reason behind the low track records of the low earth orbit companies.

Several companies have gone bankrupt trying to implement this service but Ellon Musk’s firm may have learnt enough from them and hence they will get the pricing right. The only worry that Internet users around the world have is the end cost of this internet. Although Musk has promised a reduction in the cost of internet, there are possibility that the affordability can be a problem especially to the low income countries. Even though the costs of terrestrial Internet in some countries of Africa, Asia and other low income countries in the world is high, they are at least predictable. This means that Internet users have information about the internet cost and hence can adjust their willingness to pay according to their financial ability. The challenging thing about the SpaceX internet program is that Internet users may not be able to predict the associated costs and the reliability due to regulations by the government.

SpaceX Elon Musk and Virgin Galactic Richard Branson

According to Musk and Richard Branson, if this program works well, the world will have reliable internet at an affordable price. This is what the world is waiting for, the internet that will reach all corners of the world including landlocked countries and less developed areas. Musk said that they are targeting to provide internet that is a little bit faster and affordable than the existing traditional satellites Internet. The company is also promising an internet connection that will cut on the time between sending a request and getting a response.

However, the cost of launching satellites and maintaining them on space is high. The question is whether they can be made cost-effective and promising. Many companies have tried this venture in the past and experienced a thud come down. The previous attempts to build low earth orbit networks ended up in bankruptcy and many companies were put down and never able to recover. World Internet users have to remain optimistic and wait for this space giant to implement the promised plans.

The successful space exploration by the SpaceX has initiated this next big thing. SpaceX has had several successful operations that means a lot to the space industry.

SpaceX Internet Satellite Program Inches One Step Closer

SpaceX successful launch of its Falcon Heavy Rocket was one of the steps to fulfil its numerous promises to open access to the environment beyond Earth Orbit. This step is a huge success in the history of space travel and hence it is promising a lot to the future. The rocket met all of its test objectives, this included the engine ignition, launch and performance. This worked even beyond the expectations of Elon Musk and it restored hope and reenergized the space travel sector.

All this successful step was made before our eyes. The successful work was due to the dedicated effort of the workforce. This opened the minds of many people in the world who may think that space exploration is a hard or impossible thing to do. Musk said that the company tried to cancel the Falcon Heavy program three times at SpaceX. The technical challenges associated with the whole process were tempting and the company thought of pulling back. Musk accepts that this step has launched a new space race. This will force companies to drive down the cost of launching to space.
The fact that SpaceX successfully launched Falcon Heavy Rocket, this was great step to the whole growing industry. Elon Musk’s firm is in search for its own market. It has made this step so as to accommodate most payloads.

The launch of Falcon Heavy rocket has paved the way for the SpaceX’s next major project. The launch of the Big Falcon Rocket that is awaiting completion in the coming years. This will be the next big thing with most powerful 31 engines and a huge spaceship that will be able to ship people deep into the solar system.

However, there might be several challenges in this BFR project. ‘’There are a lot of uncertainties on this BFR program but it is going to be our next focus now’’ Musk said. Musk added that it is conceivable to do the first test flight in 3 to 4 years.

By proving to the world that the rockets work, they will have a new chance to fly consistent customers who need it for their heavy payloads. The company will also be able to fulfil its promises to the entire world by providing cheap, reliable and high speed internet.

For Falcon Heavy, its operation is incredibly cheap and at the same time providing lift capability currently unrivaled by any rocket in operation. If all the promises from SpaceX are kept, then the world will be in a better place with fast affordable and reliable internet. This is all what the businesses, companies, organizations and millions of individuals in the world are waiting for.