SATELLITE MEGA-CONSTELLATIONS

摘要

More than 3.5 billion people in the world still lack internet access. Companies like SpaceX and OneWeb think they can connect every inch of the planet by launching mega-constellations of thousands of satellites that can beam a broadband connection to internet terminals. As long as these terminals have a clear view of the sky, they can deliver internet to any nearby devices. SpaceX alone wants to send more than 4.5 times more satellites into orbit this decade than humans have ever launched since Sputnik.These mega-constellations are feasible because we have learned how to build smaller satellites and launch them more cheaply. During the space shuttle era, launching a satellite into space cost roughly $24,800 per pound. A small communications satellite that weighed four tons cost nearly $200 million to fly up.