What is Starlink?
The notion of using satellites to provide widespread internet connectivity traces back decades. In 1964, NASA's launch of the Syncom 3 satellite marked a revolutionary milestone in opening up satellite-based long-distance communications. Syncom 3 pioneered the geostationary orbit - an orbit 22,236 miles above Earth's equator where a satellite remains effectively fixed, continuously in view of ground stations below.
This vantage enabled Syncom 3 to transmit data between ground links anywhere within its footprint on the Earth's surface. The satellite facilitated long-distance telephony, data transfers, and even live television broadcast - capabilities which were groundbreaking at the time.
Prior to Syncom 3, transcontinental internet connectivity depended on limited terrestrial infrastructure like undersea cables and microwave relay towers. This pioneering satellite overcame such restrictions to connect people across continents almost instantaneously. While Syncom 3 itself operated less than a year, it set influential precedents.
Today's modern descendants of these early space-based communication concepts include consumer internet providers like HughesNet and Viasat, which leverage networks of advanced geostationary satellites to deliver broadband access. So while short-lived, Syncom 3's legacy persists through enabling remarkable global connectivity that we now largely take for granted.
Source: HughesNet
Over the past decade, HughesNet has focused intently on enhancing its satellite internet service capabilities through launching a series of advanced JUPITER satellites. These new satellites serve to upgrade HughesNet's existing Ka-band network to deliver significantly faster speeds and reduced latency.
JUPITER Satellite Details
The JUPITER satellites utilize sophisticated multi-spot beam architecture coupled with high throughput Ka-band frequency reuse technology to dramatically multiply bandwidth economics. Key features include:
JUPITER System Capacity - Over 100 Gbps
Broadband Links Supported - Over 1 million
Spot Beams - Over 200 per satellite
Onboard Processing Power - 100 billion calculations per second
Coverage Footprint - Continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii
Extended Satellite Fleet
With the progressive launch of JUPITER satellites (currently 4 operational), HughesNet has greatly increased total network capacity to improve speed, availability, and coverage for consumers nationwide. The satellites also incorporate substantial design redundancy to ensure resilient connectivity even in the event of component failure.
Ongoing Evolution
The arrival of next-generation EchoStar XXIV/JUPITER 3 satellite in 2022 signified the largest commercial satellite ever built, with over 500 Gbps total capacity. Hughes anticipates launching further JUPITER satellites toward the latter half of this decade to perpetuate capability growth through the 2030s.
Source: Viasat
Viasat is upgrading its satellite internet service to strengthen its competitiveness versus rival providers including Starlink and HughesNet. Central to this initiative is deployment of the company's next-generation ViaStat-3 satellite network to bolster Viasat's broadband connectivity performance.
ViaStat-3 Enhancements
The ViaStat-3 constellation architecture consists of three extremely high-capacity satellites in geostationary orbit. Key features include:
Orbit Altitude: ~22,000 miles
Satellite Payload Bandwidth: Over 1 Terabit per second
Number of Beams: ~7,000 per satellite
Coverage Area: Americas, EMEA, APAC
By maximizing antenna spots across coverage zones, ViaStat-3 aims to deliver faster speeds with lower latency compared to prior satellite infrastructure.
Boosting Capabilities
ViaStat-3 represents Viasat's most powerful internet connectivity space asset ever engineered. The constellation greatly expands network potential to rival competing high bandwidth telecommunication systems.
First Launch
Viasat's next-generation Viasat-3 internet satellite was successfully lifted to space on May 1st courtesy of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, achieving proper orbital insertion. However, the company has now shockingly disclosed a post-launch antenna malfunction that threatens the $900 million satellite's operational viability.
Source: SpaceX
In 2015, SpaceX unveiled ambitious plans to enter the internet connectivity market by building a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network called Starlink. This SpaceX venture aims to facilitate affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband access on an unprecedented global scale.
The Starlink concept centers on deploying thousands of mass-produced compact satellites to form an interconnected mesh network blanketing Earth. By placing these satellites in LEO at ~350 mile altitude, latency and uptime shortfalls plaguing traditional geostationary internet satellite networks can be minimized.
Key Attributes:
Number of Satellites: ~42,000 planned
Orbital Shells: Over 50 at various inclinations
Satellite Production Cost: Under $500K per unit
Inter-Satellite Links: Satellite-to-satellite laser communication
Replenishment Cycle: 5-year lifespan per satellite
SpaceX continues rapid progression toward full Starlink build-out, with over 5,500 satellites launched already. The burgeoning constellation is delivering initial service in covered regions worldwide. Full global coverage is projected by mid-decade based on the scheduled launch cadences.
With Starlink, SpaceX aims to effectively compete on price, availability, and quality-of-service with terrestrial internet providers at global scale.
Falcon 9
Developing the sprawling low-Earth orbit Starlink constellation has presented SpaceX engineers with immense technical hurdles. However, leveraging the flight-proven reliability and cost efficiency of the company's Falcon 9 workhorse launch vehicles has enabled steady constellation build-out progress.
Satellite Deployment Strategy
SpaceX has opportunistically assigned Falcon 9 launch capacity towards regularly transporting and inserting groups of Starlink satellites whenever mission schedules permit. By maximizing launch windows to maintain deployment cadence of production satellites from the active Falcon fleet, SpaceX has placed over 5,500 Starlink satellites on orbit per latest third-party estimates.
Ground Segment Growth
This rapidly expanding satellite infrastructure is facilitating commensurate growth in Starlink subscriber numbers (2M+) as coverage footprints widen across regions. The global of providing coverage availability to nearly all populated areas will be achieved by 2024 based on the current satellite manufacturing and launch tempo.
Leveraging Starship
The current Falcon 9 launch vehicle utilized for Starlink deployments is configured to carry roughly 23 satellites per mission using the upgraded Gen2 satellite design now in production. This manifest capacity enables frequent launches to sustain continuous growth of the Starlink constellation.
However, SpaceX's in-development Starship represents an impending massively disruptive advancement in launch capability. Initial projections indicate each Starship will be able transport over 400 Starlink satellites to orbit.
The one metric which is most commonly used to compare internet providers is download speed..
According to Ookla, Starlink’s service in Canada makes it the fastest satellite provider in North America. With an average download speed of 93.97Mbps, it’s 40 per cent faster than the US with a download speed of 66.59Mbps. The average download speed in Mexico was 56.42Mbps over the past quarter.
For comparison, Xfinity land based cable speed test results with Ookla in the US garnered a median download speed rating of 236Mbps.
Starlink Antenna
Although it shares a similar appearance, this is not the same as the dish used by satellite television providers. It consists of an array of 1280 small antennas arranged in a hexagonal honeycomb pattern. By electronically controlling the phase of the signal from each antenna, the overall beam can be steered electronically to track any Starlink satellite overhead, focusing the signal and maximizing data transfer. It operates in two frequency bands, Ku-band (12-14 GHz) for download and Ka-band (24-30 GHz) for upload. Each antenna element is a six-layer aperture coupled patch antenna made of silica and copper, offering efficient signal transmission and reception.
The benefits of the design are it enables tracking of rapidly moving satellites in low-Earth orbit without the need for mechanical devices. Unlike traditional parabolic dishes, the antenna firmware manages beamforming and tracking, allowing for automatic updates and improved performance over time.
The antenna also has the ability to melt snow for those who experience snow and has an environment rating of IP54 which means it is protected against dust and rain.
Starlink router
Starlink provides users two home router hardware options to connect to its satellite internet service:
Gen2 Router (current default model)
Gen3 Router (recently released upgrade)
As Starlink transitions to the upgraded Gen3 as its standard router, kit configurations containing either Gen2 or Gen3 models will be mixed during the rollout period.
Key Specification Comparison
While the Gen3 delivers performance improvements, both routers can provide adequate internet connectivity for most home usage scenarios. Key wireless capability contrasts include:
WiFi Standards - Gen2 supports WiFi 5, Gen3 upgraded to WiFi 6
Antennas - Gen2 utilizes 3x3 MIMO, Gen3 improved to 4x4 MU-MIMO for expanded coverage
Mesh Networking - Both routers can mesh with added Starlink routers to extend WiFi range throughout larger residences. Gen3 can mesh with Gen2.
Ports - Gen3 has 2 built-in ethernet ports, Gen2 does not
Connected Devices - Gen2 supports up to 128 devices, Gen3 up to 235 device connections
Both routers share IP54/IP56 environmental rating for indoor use. Existing customers can upgrade to the new Gen3 model for $199.
What's In the Box
Here are the items included in the Standard Starlink Kit
Starlink Antenna/Dish:
This is the heart of the system, responsible for receiving and transmitting signals to and from the Starlink satellites.
It's a flat, round dish, about 23 inches in diameter, with a white casing and a black motor for self-positioning.
Mounting Base:
This sturdy base allows you to securely mount the dish on a variety of surfaces, such as a roof, pole, or ground.
It has adjustable legs to accommodate different angles and comes with all necessary mounting hardware.
Wi-Fi Router:
The Gen2/Gen3 router connects to the dish via a cable and provides Wi-Fi coverage for your home or office.
It's a rectangular device, about 10 inches by 7 inches, with a white casing and a black band on the top.
50 ft. Starlink Cable:
This long, white cable connects the dish to the router, allowing for flexibility in placement.
It has weather-resistant connectors to ensure reliable performance in outdoor conditions.
AC Power Cable:
This cable powers the router and, in turn, supplies power to the dish through the Starlink cable.
It's a standard AC power cord that plugs into a wall outlet.
Stickers/Documentation:
The kit includes Starlink stickers and basic setup instructions to help you get started.
As technology progresses, new options are emerging to meet home internet connectivity needs.
They include but are not limited to:
High Speed Cable / Fiber
5G Cellular Home Internet
4G LTE Cellular Home Internet
Satellite Internet (Starlink)
Legacy Satellite Internet Providers (HughesNet / Viasat)
When evaluating home internet delivery methods, key parameters include:
Speed (bandwidth rate)
Latency (network response time)
Reliability (uptime)
Data caps (monthly usage limits)
Price
Complexity (equipment, installation)
Cable / Fiber
In regions with availability, traditional land-based internet provided via cable or fiber optics remains the best, high performance option, delivering speeds over 1Gbps with latency around 20ms. The infrastructure is generally robust, but still carries a small risk of disruption from cable damage, often stemming from construction activity or vehicle accidents.
Cellular Home Internet
5G leverages upgraded cellular networks to provide home internet connectivity, with speeds commonly ranging from 100-200 Mbps based on signal strength. This option provides bandwidth capable of handling most household usage with a competitive $100 monthly pricing. Home internet solutions are advertised as having no data caps and support for up to 64 concurrent devices.
Although not as robust as 5G, 4G LTE is also a choice when strong signal strength is available. Typical speeds average between 50 to 250MBps but cellular "hotspot" plans are often limited to around 10 concurrent devices and also have monthly usage limits.
In both scenarios the customer performs the installation.
Starlink Satellite Internet
The Starlink satellite network delivers high speeds (~120Mbps) with excellent reliability, but requires a significant upfront investment into equipment/installation. It is an excellent choice especially when other options are not available or are not desirable, and is a good investment as it is anticipated performance will improve over time as additional satellites are added to the constellation.
