![]() Sometimes, internet satellite constellations are visible in the night sky. Even planes and boats are getting on board with the idea: Starlink has already made its internet available on private jets and some cruise ships, and Delta announced earlier this month that it will make in-flight wifi free for all SkyMiles members, thanks to a partnership with T-Mobile and the geostationary satellite provider Viasat. Amazon’s Project Kuiper, once it launches, is designed to bolster Verizon’s 4G, LTE, and 5G networks, a spokesperson told Recode. T-Mobile is planning to use Starlink’s network to expand its coverage in dead zones, and SpaceX is encouraging other mobile providers to connect their networks to the heavens. The expected surge in new satellites will make space internet a bigger presence in our day-to-day lives this year. While satellite-based internet isn’t necessarily set up to displace the service provided by cell towers or fiber optic cables, it could still play a role in the broader networks that lots of people use every day, adding more capacity and extending coverage. As a result, it has become much more feasible to hire rocket companies to put commercial satellites into orbit, clearing the way for constellations of satellites that can provide far faster internet service than older satellite-based internet technology, which typically relies on one or two satellites that orbit the planet. Satellites themselves are getting cheaper, too. Thanks to the rise of the commercial space industry, the cost of space launches has declined tremendously over the past few years. Inspired by the use of Starlink terminals in the war on Ukraine, Taiwan is now reportedly looking for investors to fund its own domestic satellite network. The European Union has said its proposed satellite network, Iriss, could include up to 170 satellites, which are scheduled to enter low-Earth orbit between 20. Amazon, meanwhile, plans to incorporate more than 3,000 satellites into its Project Kuiper satellite internet constellation and should launch its prototype satellites early this year. Each new batch joins the thousands of satellites SpaceX has already sent into orbit, including those of Starlink competitor, OneWeb. This year, SpaceX has planned multiple launches, like the one with 51 satellites that is scheduled to take off later tonight from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, that will send satellites into orbit to support its Starlink network. Private companies and governments are getting serious about their space internet projects. But in 2023, satellite-based internet is getting a major revamp. With its questionable signal strength and hardly Netflix-friendly bandwidth, the internet that’s beamed down from low-Earth orbit is the kind of thing you only turn to as a last resort or if you’re stuck on a long-haul flight. Space internet has the reputation for slow service. ![]()
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