Starlink and its impact on bushwalking

[ChrisJHC]

Not sure if you've been following this, but Starlink is a satellite system that aims to provide ubiquitous, global internet access.
This means that, unless you choose to do so, you need never be disconnected.
Part of this fills me with dread, however I can see some practical applications:
1. Up to date weather reports
2. Keeping those at home informed
3. Bushfire updates
4. etc, etc, etc[/list]

As a minimum, it's likely to kill the market for InReach, SPOT, etc.
Possibly also GPS and PLB.

What are other people's thoughts?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink

[crollsurf]

I think it will make bushwalking easier and safer but one of the reasons you go walking, is to get away from all that technology. At least they don't make a noise overhead like planes.

I'd never heard of Starlink before a group on them flew overhead one night. Made for a good shot but I didn't know what to make of them at the time.

SpaceX Starlink Satellite Train over Ku-ring-gai Chase NP

[ribuck]

As a minimum, it's likely to kill the market for InReach, SPOT, etc.

I don't think it will kill the market for InReach etc. Starlink internet will be expensive. A web page easily be a megabyte, whereas InReach is sending a couple of hundred bytes at a time so a satellite of a given bandwidth can handle many more InReach devices at once.

[ChrisJHC]

My thinking is that, if people can send a text message from anywhere in the world, they will not buy and carry an additional device just to do that.
Even if it is an expensive data plan it will probably still be cheaper than a dedicated device.

[Gadgetgeek]

It remains to be seen what starlink ends up being useful for. While it might end up replacing the iridium system, Its still being disputed by many groups. Also we have no good info on reliability yet which is where the other systems are at least known quantities. Also, to my understanding they need to run a lot of satellites before they achieve any appreciable coverage, where as the other systems can cover more ground with fewer. Ultimately I think its an ego move on Elon's part and so I don't think its going to end well. With Iridium having a new batch of satalites and a much more trustworthy set of caretakers, I think they hold the international communications market. I doubt starlink is going to be covering the oceans reliably.

As far as I know, they cannot replace GPS, GLONAS, Galileo as they won't have the reliability of orbit. So that leaves them with very few options. The other factor for under-served or disaster areas is project Loon, and they actually seem to be doing good things without annoying anyone as badly, and can operate in areas with a much lower cost. It wouldn't shock me if we get to a stage where certain parks have either balloons up, or capacity to launch balloons in times of need.

[Huntsman247]

I was a fan until I saw what they actually look like in the sky. Not impressed anymore. Caught the tail end of them but the whole spectacle took quite a few minutes to pass. Very soon the nights sky's just won't be the same. Benefits at what cost?
Hopefully the video works. http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5eb550289fcc9/PPS13702.MP4

[wildwanderer]

At first I thought this was interesting. I was expecting the visual pollution to be similar to other satellites..ie barely noticeable.

Then I saw a YouTube video of naked eye observation from a town.. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ej3IV_WW0LE

It's absolutely disgraceful... How in hell was this allowed..

Once musk's thousands of satellites are launched can we expect constant satelite trains over the night sky?

[tastrax]

a fix is on the way

https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/22/elon- ... atellites/

[GPSGuided]

SpaceX's program has already been objected to by astronomers and astrophysicists for their pollution of the visual above our head.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/24/2119 ... my-coating

I don't see the criticality of this network as there are alternate solutions, but not denying a need for global communication connection. The low orbit design at this stage is a real environmental concern. In due course and won't be a surprise, for the $10B outlay of the full project in 2018 accounting, the monetisation won't make the service much cheaper than alternate solutions by that time.

[AlfieJones]

Then I saw a YouTube video of naked eye observation from a town.. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ej3IV_WW0LE

This video is fake BTW.

[ChrisJHC]

The video may be fake but you can clearly see them with the naked eye. I was a long way from any light pollution but they were very noticeable and took a long time to pass.

[wildwanderer]

This video is fake BTW.

Good to know. Thanks. Where did you learn this?

Reading a bit more on the project. https://astronomynow.com/2020/05/05/spa ... nk-launch/

SpaceX says its the satelite deployment phase where they are manoeuvring to orbit, that they are the most visible to the naked eye. Once in orbit they are harder to spot. They also deploying solar blinds and changing satelite angle to the sun to minimise reflectivity. Musk says the goal is satelites deployed after mid year will be much harder to see with naked eye.

If accurate.. that sounds good. Doesn't help astronomers as much though..but is something.

[ribuck]

Doesn't help astronomers as much though

Most astronomy imaging is now digital. If they don't already do so, I expect that astronomers will start to use software to switch off light gathering for the brief moments when any satellite crosses their area of interest.

[Aushiker]

This article popped up today in IT News. Might be of interest ....

[AlfieJones]

This video is fake BTW.

Good to know. Thanks. Where did you learn this?

The shaky stabilized video is typical photo shopped videos, the lasers are faked as they would likely not be visible to the naked eyes or camera, plus they only point towards other satellites and do not shine towards earth, meaning they would be impossible to view, plus the fact it has a Slovenian description makes it sketchy. Its often hard to spot faked videos but after you see a few you can reasonably tell them apart.

I've also heard that spacex will coat all their new satellites with a non reflective paint which will help make them far less notable from the ground, which should solve or at least reduce this problem.

[Saffrett]

I don't think it will ever be helpful to bush walkers. The receiver is the size of a pizza box. Would be great if they made a small portable dish that ran on usb and plug in to you phone.This is aimed at providing home internet to remote towns and the middle of nowhere. Its also aimed at planes and ships. They haven't even turned the laser links on yet.