You mean like the numerous space-based services that have been making money over the past ~30 years?
I mostly remember them going out of business like Iridium did in 1999. Clearly the market wasn't there as no one I knew used satellite services for anything other than TV, and that model failed against broadband. Starlink is first time regular consumers like my family members actually paid for a satellite service.
Uhm, no? Do you think all communications satellites operate at a loss?
For literally decades.
Exactly this.
Someday I would like to understand how we got here as a society.
Do you think these faceless comms companies could have achieved what a superhero's company only just now achieved?
Edited for clarity. Something like starlink existing and being profitable was a pipe dream a decade ago.
Is cashflow break even in the middle of a 5 year lifespan profitable? It includes the ongoing depreciation of that limited lifespan I guess?
All current communications satellite constellations are operating profitably now, but they all went through bankruptcy proceedings before becoming profitable.