Satellites

[Bonehead]

Did anyone else see the Spacex satellite group pass overhead this past Tuesday evening ?
Just after dark my wife and I were outside with the chimnea (fire) and saw a string of 10 lights pass from the northwest to the southeast. They were all in a neat row with different spacing between each one. Pretty cool ! I didn't understand what they were until reading about a website that allows you to put in your location and it determines the best time and direction for viewing the cluster. Can't find the website again though.

 

[glhs837]

Pretty cool view, although I've missed it. And it's only for a few days until they charge up and start climbing to the 330 mile high final orbit. If they pull this off, it's going to upend the internet provider business. Cable level or better latency, maybe a $200 dollar pizza box sized antenna and modem that can be mobile, gigabit speeds for what looks to be $80 a month? Thats not just rural last mile solution, that's direct competition for lots of cable customers. Your urban tower dwellers cant do it, but screw those guys. Monello could slap one on the Family Truckster and roll.

 

[stgislander]

Thanks for the head's up.

 

[Ken King]

Cable level or better latency, maybe a $200 dollar pizza box sized antenna and modem that can be mobile, gigabit speeds for what looks to be $80 a month?

Is that your estimation or do you have links for expected consumer cost?

 

[Bonehead]

Thanks for the head's up.

It was just dumb luck I had no idea they would be visible.

 

[kom526]

You can try this link
https://www.n2yo.com/?s=25544

 

[glhs837]

Is that your estimation or do you have links for expected consumer cost?

https://spacenews.com/spacex-plans-to-start-offering-starlink-broadband-services-in-2020/

https://www.zdnet.com/article/fast-affordable-internet-from-the-sky-is-almost-here/

The $200 for the terminal is really best guess on a lot of the technically minded groups that have discussed it. Most folks can't see it costing more than that and being competitive.