Satellite internet is not new. HughesNet has offered such service since at least 1996. What’s new today is the affordability and availability of satellite internet, thanks to the service offered by SpaceX’s Starlink. But how does it work? Starlink explains:
Most satellite internet services come from single geostationary satellites that orbit the planet at 35,786 km. As a result, the round trip data time between the user and satellite—also known as latency—is high, making it nearly impossible to support streaming, online gaming, video calls or other high data rate activities.
Starlink is a constellation of thousands of satellites that orbit the planet much closer to Earth, at about 550km, and cover the entire globe. Because Starlink satellites are in a low orbit, latency is significantly lower—around 25 ms vs 600+ ms.
In the video below, Branch Education explains more about how Starlink works.
Action Line: You need to have reliable internet in today’s connected world. Having satellite internet as a backup to your existing landline could make all the difference if you’re hit with a natural or man-made disaster that brings down the power or communications grids. Email me about what you’re doing to prepare your family’s communications for disaster at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com. And click here to subscribe to my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter.
