Important Innovations

  SpaceX Successful Launch of Another Batch of 60 Satellites                                                                      Source:  SpaceX/NASA More Than 1,200 Satellites in Starlink Constellation & Counting Early this morning, at Cape Canaveral, Florida, SpaceX launched another 60 Starlink internet satellites.  That brings the total in the Starlink internet constellation to more than 1200.  The system promises to provide inexpensive broadband services to the globe and particularly to remote and underserved areas.  SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wants to have a threshold of 1,440 Starlink satellites deployed in low Earth orbit to deliver optimum broadband services.  He has also petitioned the Federal Communications Commission for permission to launch tens of thousands of more satellites.  Musk has the internet service in beta-testing along stretches of the US-Canadian border and in Germany, the UK and New Zealand. Customers can also sign up on line for future service when it becomes a

  Low Cost Internet, Phone Service & Emergency Phone Backup                                                                                     Source:  Starlink Satellite Starlink's New Filing with the FCC  SpaceX and CEO Elon Musk have big plans for Starlink, the satellite based, broadband service.  In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission, Starlink disclosed its operational plan to provide less expensive internet service to low income customers, phone service and back-up services to make calls during power outages. Underserved Areas and Low Income Customers Starlink is asking the FCC for designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) so that it can provide broadband services in underserved areas.   The ETC designation also is needed for Starlink to be reimbursed for giving discounts on telecommunications services to people with low incomes.  The reimbursement comes through the FCC's Lifeline program. Starlink Beta Program is Up & Running St

  Loon Subsidiary Being Shut Down                                                  Source: Loon Not Commercially Viable Google's parent company Alphabet has decided to shut down its internet balloon services company after concluding that the business of using high altitude, large balloons to deliver the internet is not commercially viable.  In a way, the decision is a surprising one because the technology works.  Alphabet founded Loon in 2011.  And it has successfully delivered internet services to disaster areas and to Kenya.  But the company says it could not find a way to get the costs low enough to "build a sustainable, long term business". Great Intentions The goal and purpose of Loon was to bring connectivity by high flying balloons the size of tennis courts to global, underserved areas that are too remote or difficult to connect with broadband.  That proved to be too expensive. Loon certainly made every effort to make it work. It conducted years of  testing with ba

  Grows to 835 Satellite System                                                                      Source:  SpaceX Starlink Launch Moderate Coverage for North America SpaceX launched 60 more Starlink internet satellites into orbit on Sunday with another batch ready to launch on Wednesday.  The Sunday launch to build an inexpensive global internet service brings the total sats deployed to 835 satellites.  That is enough to reach CEO Elon Musk's target of 800 deployed satellites in low Earth orbit to start testing for moderate internet coverage for parts of North America.  This was Space X's 14th launch of Starlink satellites.  To achieve global broadband coverage, Musk says he plans to launch 120 new Starlink satellites per week. Incredible Technology Not just the Starlink technology is incredible, so too is the rocket technology for launch that's being deployed.   The Sunday launch was aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket's sixth flight.  After the successful launch, the f

  60 More Broadband Satellites Launched Today                                                 Source:  NASA/SpaceX Elon Musk's Promise of More Inexpensive Internet  SpaceX has just deployed 60 more Starlink satellites into orbit.  SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk tweeted, when the satellites reach their targeted points, SpaceX will be able to roll out a fairly wide, public beta test in the northern United States and possibly in southern Canada.  And, he says, as soon as SpaceX receives regulatory approvals from more nations, he will roll the system into other countries.  Musk's space system is designed to deliver inexpensive internet services globally. Starlink Mega-Satellite Constellations for Global Internet This is the 13th Starlink low-earth orbit satellite launch so far.  SpaceX plans on dozens more as it grows its broadband mega-satellite constellation into thousands of small satellites.  The promise is for much less expensive internet availability on a global basis.  Tha

OneWeb Speeds Up Plans for Global High Speed Broadband Network Source:  OneWeb Bringing Mobile to the World The UK based, space internet company OneWeb has just secured an additional $1.25 billion in funding, bringing the total to $3.4B.  That enables it to accelerate plans for a global, high speed broadband network.  They say, they'll have the network launched in 2021.  They've already launched six satellite for service.  By the end of 2019 they'll be launching 30 satellites per month.  For global internet coverage, they'll need a network of at least 650 satellites. And, as the internet of things expands, that number could triple. Crowded Space OneWeb isn't alone in its goal to deliver global internet coverage.  Elon Musk's Space X is racing to do the same thing.  OneWeb has big pocket investors including Japan's tech giant SoftBank, Virgin Group and Coca-Cola.  The company is also launching low cost, mini satellites to bring mobile to the wo

China's Space Based Communications Network Source:  China's  Satellite Launch  China Goes Broadband in Space It's called the Hongyun project.  It's space based, broadband communications innovation from China.  And, it's a first for them.  China's broadband delivering satellite is designed to provide broadband connectivity to users globally, especially in underserved regions. Bottom-line:  Global Competition on Breakthrough New Communications Innovation This is a concept of running a low-cost, high performance satellite network to provide space-based communications and internet services.  There are many innovation companies going for this opportunity including Google, SpaceX and Telesat. Space X CEO Elon Musk wants to put 12,000 satellites into orbit by 2020 to provide broadband and internet services globally.  It's his Starlink project. China's Launch China is a big competitor in this tech innovation race.  The Chinese Aerospace Science