Hacker News Reader

Comment by zaroth | Hacker News Reader

I assume there are a finite number of these swarms that we can deploy in LEO, both in economic terms as well as dedicating space and spectrum?

I’ve heard of three companies now that want to achieve this. I’m not sure if there’s anything particularly distinctive about one versus the other, other than SpaceX is the only one with the proven launch capacity to bring that much mass to orbit.

I have a lot less faith in Bezos pulling this off, but mostly it seems a waste to start an ISP just to earn Amazon shareholders a larger dividend.

View on HN

Yes, there is a finite limit, but the number is much higher than you would suppose.

First, in terms of spectrum, realistically all the satellites in a constellation can (and should) share a small number of relatively narrow frequencies. You can almost imagine it ma be the equivalent of one more cell tower in your area per constellation (at worse).

In terms of space, astronomy aside, the actual space these satellites are flying in are “huge”. As a perspective if you hold your thumb up to the sky, the distance “covered up” by your thumb (if I did my math right) is approximately 480 miles [1]

Yes things travel very quickly at those orbits, but the point is that even if we throw a ton of satellites up, they will remain fairly sparse.

That said, possible reflection and how noticeable they will be, that is a whole other question.

[1] assuming orbits of 366 miles up, higher orbits would be even farther apart

> As a perspective if you hold your thumb up to the sky, the distance “covered up” by your thumb (if I did my math right) is approximately 480 miles

What distance? The distance immediately behind my thumb is about an inch. The distance way back at the edge of the universe is millions of light years

The parent comment says in a footnote:

> [1] assuming orbits of 366 miles up, higher orbits would be even farther apart

Dedicating space? We have three deminsions to work with, but even if it were two, space around earth is bigger than surface of earth. The earth is very big and these constellations are small. The satellites are small too. At this low an orbit, not worried about long lasting junk due to atmos drag iiuc

> mostly it seems a waste to start an ISP

I sort of see an analogy with airplane or helicopter pilots.

One of the most important things pilots need when they start out is flying time. And flying time costs money. They can be easily talked into things to defray their costs.

I suspect that launching an ISP is defraying costs of developing and launching rockets. $100 LEO hamburgers.

I’m confused on why it would be a waste to make shareholders better off, regardless of the fact that Amazon does not pay a dividend. Isn’t this the point of investing? It would be great to make shareholders better off and even better if we could improve internet access while we are at it.

Amazon shareholders do not earn a dividend. SpaceX is not public, but rather would enrich a much smaller set of investors (and particularly Musk). What’s your point?

Aren't SpaceX creating Starlink to generate funds to support other projects; in particular, their plans to create the rockets and infrastructure to ultimately colonise Mars?

i.e. not (primarily) to "enrich a much smaller set of investors (and particularly Musk)"?

Yeah, that was silly and disingenuous. We're talking about a guy who could have retired in lavish luxury 15+ years ago if 'riches' were all he wanted. He is Mars or bust and looks like he's put together a company with the chops to pull it off.

Fidelity has a biyearly traded SpaceX fund.

Isn't it just a small slice of many things held in a mutual fund? or there is actually pure spaceX fund/vehicle?

My point was that when companies look for literal moonshots to keep finding decent uses for their money, it’s usually not long after that the dividends start be paid out.

That is to say, by the time their Starlink-esque network would be generating revenue, odds are good AMZN is paying a dividend.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com