Amazon Trying to Launch a Global Satellite Cellphone Network In 2028 (theverge.com) 27
Amazon has asked the FCC to approve a 5,105-satellite constellation launching in 2028 that would provide global direct-to-cell "voice, messaging, data, and emergency services," similar to Starlink's partnership with T-Mobile. The network would use Globalstar spectrum, support future Apple satellite services, and complement Amazon's existing Leo broadband constellation. The Verge reports: Advanced Television points out that the FCC application also includes a request to use spectrum assigned to Iridium's satellite network outside the US, even as Rocket Lab is in the process of acquiring Iridium with plans to expand.
The new constellation and direct-to-device service will "complement" the broadband services Amazon also plans to offer through its Leo platform. In addition to consumer satellite service, it would also be used for things like disaster response and emergency messaging.
Amazon says the new direct-to-device satellites "will process the signals in orbit before relaying them to improve performance." The new constellation will be nearly double the size of Amazon's initial Leo constellation, which is planned to include around 3,200 satellites. As of July 2nd, Amazon says "over 375" of those satellites have launched so far.
The new constellation and direct-to-device service will "complement" the broadband services Amazon also plans to offer through its Leo platform. In addition to consumer satellite service, it would also be used for things like disaster response and emergency messaging.
Amazon says the new direct-to-device satellites "will process the signals in orbit before relaying them to improve performance." The new constellation will be nearly double the size of Amazon's initial Leo constellation, which is planned to include around 3,200 satellites. As of July 2nd, Amazon says "over 375" of those satellites have launched so far.
Re: Following Elon (Score:2)
People should ask: "Amazon and whose rockets?" Because I don't see them using SpaceX and I also don't see a competitor anywhere near as mature as SpaceX.
For now this is serious investor-courting.
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Why? Do you know how much profit per launch SpaceX could make off of Amazon?
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Because I don't see them using SpaceX
Why wouldn't they? They already launched 72 satellites on Falcon 9 (24 * 3 launches) and have already contracted 10 more Falcon 9 launches.
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That's only 240 out of over 5,000 satellites though. My guess is they are hoping that the market opens up, as more companies enter it.
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They probably would love to not use SpaceX, but as you said, nobody else exists for the price-to-launch SpaceX is selling.
At some point petty bullshit gives way to getting the job done, if you are running a business. See: Tesla still using AWS.
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They probably would love to not use SpaceX, but as you said, nobody else exists for the price-to-launch SpaceX is selling.
At some point petty bullshit gives way to getting the job done, if you are running a business. See: Tesla still using AWS.
Without Bezos running Amazon the ego level against using the cheaper launch system is reduced. Stock holders forced them through the courts to buy some already. Legal pressure will build if they don't start putting up large numbers of satellites as they already have missed their first deadline to have the first half of the Leo satellites up and if they miss the second they will have to do more explaining to not lose their launch license. They are also have new constellations on top of Leo.
Where will the
Re: (Score:3)
Elmo, Bezos, Andreessen, Kurzweil, etc., are part of the Silicon-Valley-ish myopic philosophy of Themselves-as-a-Precious-Resourc; they are attempting to echo what they read is science fiction when they were kids. As they grew older, they never matured into separating fact from fiction.
Their idea is that mankind is destined for the stars or to live Forever, the two are connected in Kurzweil's orgasmic dream of the Singularity. Only problem, you cannot get there from here and your brain won't survive functio
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Elon builds rockets, Bezos wants to. Elon builds sat/mobile networks, Bezos wants to. Wanna-be.
Bezos founded BO two years before Musk founded SpaceX. Back then he was far more wealthy than Musk.
Year 2000 Bezos had $4.7 billion, 2002 $1.8 billion (Amazon stock price dropped)
Year 2002 Musk had $180 million
So Bezos started first and had more money. BO has made 3 orbital flights only 1 of which seems to have been fully successful
Musk starting later with less money now dominates the industry. His Falcon 9 has had over 660 successful launches.
Does look like Bezos is the wannabe.
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That fact has been well established.
SpaceX stock is down 40%. (Score:2)
I guess it is possible that a third term of trump would send a shitload of taxpayer money to SpaceX. But a third term of trump is also going to mean the end of democracy and the American economy is going to collapse just like Russia's did after Putin got in charge.
So it's kind of a heads you lose tails you lose situation
Way too much space junk (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Way too much space junk (Score:4, Informative)
We might be dangerously near the Kessler Syndrome [wikipedia.org] according to this article [msn.com].
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I've been trying to tell anyone that will listen about this possibilty. Most people look at me like I have three heads but more than a few Elon-type glazers have literally called me Chicken Little.
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I've been trying to tell anyone that will listen about this possibilty. Most people look at me like I have three heads but more than a few Elon-type glazers have literally called me Chicken Little.
Yeah, I keep getting told that I don't understand how big space is. And while I get that argument to a degree, we're talking about LEO. That's not as big as some people want to imagine, and all it takes is one stray ricochet to start that crazy party. But, those of us concerned should shut the fuck up, because there's still a tiny little bit of money to be made shoving more space junk up there.
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Whomever wrote that article is a sensationalist idiot that doesn't even understand that GPS satellites are at wildly different altitudes than a LEO internet access constellation.
I stopped reading when that was apparent.
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Given that TFA made no such comparison and the study being discussed explicitly looked at different altitudes independently I think maybe you should read more rather than stop reading. You clearly need the practice.
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It's not just the amount of crap in LEO that is a concern, it's the fact that we are going to have thousands of them de-orbiting every year. These companies aren't forthcoming about exactly what is in their satellites, and the effect of that much material being burned in the upper atmosphere is therefore unknown too.
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We know what satellites are made of: mostly aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber, with small amounts of silicon, copper, lithium, plastics, etc.
The amount of crap that burns up in our atmosphere from naturally occurring meteorites and "space dust" dwarfs man made objects in space:
-Approximately 100 tons of natural space debris burns up in our atmosphere every day -or 40,000 tons annually.
-The total mass of all man-made objects in space is less than 20,000 tons, only about 1,000 tons of which burns up in the
Great! (Score:2)
With this ever-growing number of satellites we won't need Arc Net to protect us. Boglodite invasion ships will just all crash on our space junk.
flying toasters (Score:3)
Who knew flying toasters was prescient?
"processing" signals? (Score:2)