SpaceX has continued ramping its satellite launches into space. A StockApps.com data analysis shows that the former launched 646 Starlink satellites in the last year. That represents an increase of 48.9% in its March 2021 satellite population of 1,322.
The development has StockApps.com’s Edith Reads buzzing about the future of the internet. Here’s what she said concerning the news.
“These are exciting times for internet users across the globe that have been grappling with connectivity issues. The increase in Starlink satellites brings more areas under internet coverage. Now more areas that have lacked access before will be able to tap into high-speed and reliable internet. The implications can only be mind-blowing!”
This new development is keeping up with SpaceX Starlink’s ambitious internet connectivity project. In the past 18 months, the Elon Musk associated firm has grown its broadband satellites by nearly 185%. The firm targets up to 60M of the rural and far-flung American populations. Globally, it has set sights on areas with weak or lacking broadband connections.
Importance of internet connections
Internet connection is increasingly becoming central to our interactions. Besides facilitating social connections, the internet is a vital cog in remote work. The internet has shaken up the concept of work, with more and more people opting to work online.
The Coronavirus pandemic has highlighted that fact better. A recent McKinsey&Co report suggests that about 25% of the labor in developed countries is open to working remotely. That’s a four to fivefold increase in online work pre-Covid 19.
Moreover, the internet is essential in education. Long before the pandemic, many educational institutions offered different forms of online education. The advent of the scourge has enhanced their stature.
So the internet is a vital resource for many the world over. However, the cost of infrastructure and geography have conspired to deny certain populations its access. It’s these challenges that the SpaceX Starlink project seeks to overcome.
About the Starlink system
At the core of the SpaceX Starlink internet project is a low latency broadband system. It’s tailored to meet consumer needs globally. A collection of low orbiting Earth satellites will support Starlink in providing fast and dependable data where there’s poor to zero connectivity. Such areas include cut-off rural areas and those with dear or tenuous services.
Starlink’s most recent application has been in Ukraine. The system has enabled the besieged country to continue accessing the net as it battles a Russian invasion. Elon Musk has confirmed that the system is active in Ukraine and promised additional terminals to bolster connections.
The project isn’t without controversy, though. Researchers from the University of Warsaw have proved that it hinders night sky observations. Thus it could affect critical observations like those of low flying asteroids.
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