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| Credit - Google || Image Taken from flickr.com |
When Elon Musk’s Space X launched 60 small satellites into orbit on February 19, 2017, the mission was historic in more ways than one. Not only did the launch mark the first time that so many small satellites had been put into space at once, but it also marked the beginning of SpaceX’s ambitious plan to provide global internet access through a network of thousands of these tiny satellites. Here’s what you need to know about Space X’s mission to provide global internet access via small satellites and how it could change your life forever.
What are the benefits of having a satellite?
Satellites bring us a lot of good things we can’t live without. Global satellite internet will let you connect with others no matter where they are in the world, on our oceans or even floating through space! It can help keep your children safe from predators by tracking their every move and give you a new way to find your pets when they run away again (one step at a time). Accessing national weather reports and forecasts for wherever you might be going is another big benefit as well as watching YouTube videos from thousands of miles away. If all else fails, Elon Musk is almost always up there somewhere passing by... don’t worry though; he has plenty of cool cameras on board so he should catch sight of any burning wrecks before it happens.
Why did we need small satellites?
Most of us can't see how our lives will be changed by a fast, reliable and affordable worldwide Internet connection. That's why Elon Musk started Space X – not only so he could launch something amazing into space but also so that he could improve communication services on Earth. He wants to use his expertise and deep pockets to help us all get online better, faster and cheaper than ever before. And with Space X, we might just do it: Imagine every home in your country connected with fiber optic cables that make broadband speeds hundreds of times faster than what you have today - free from lag time or downtime.
What challenges lie ahead?
Regardless of how Space X’s foray into space commerce works out, there are going to be a host of challenges for them as they try and scale up their operations. The first is that we’re still in a cycle where higher bandwidth means more satellite capacity being built, but at some point in time there will be too much available capacity and pricing will come down. It’s important for Space X to get in now before these contracts start flooding in and prices drop as a result of oversupply. The second big challenge facing Space X is competition from other telecom companies like OneWeb or maybe even Facebook or Google who want a piece of what Space X is looking at right now.
The future of space travel
A few days ago, Elon Musk’s space exploration company, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket into low Earth orbit with a record-breaking launch of 60 satellites in one go. This is only a part of their plans for humanity’s future in space and astronomy, on earth and beyond. The future of travel seems bright, but still so far away from fruition that most people have little sense of how it might work or look, and could even be fairly shocked when all becomes clear . . . which it will because nothing stands still anymore, not even outer space.
What happened during this launch?
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) successfully launched a new class of communication satellite into orbit from California using its Falcon 9 rocket. The first-stage booster was successfully recovered after separating from it's second stage payload and reentering Earth's atmosphere in what CEO Elon Musk called an epic boost back. The rocket carried a total of 59 satellites, and will work with other SpaceX rockets to create a large constellation that could provide worldwide broadband internet service. It will be known as Starlink, and will help pave way for human expansion beyond Earth – like Mars. Previously considered impossible, communication between different planets or even solar systems is now thought by some experts to be possible with sufficient technology development.