How does satellite internet work? , Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Satellite internet offers extensive and resilient coverage globally, functioning regardless of terrain or terrestrial infrastructure.
• LEO mega-constellations, like Starlink with over 7,000 satellites, provide low latency and global coverage through interconnected satellites.
• Satellite internet has dual-use nature, serving both civil and military ends, introducing complex security dynamics.
• Applications include communications, transportation, public administration, disaster management, healthcare, agriculture, environmental monitoring, energy exploration, tourism, and defence.

Detailed Insights:

• Ground-based networks are economically unviable in sparsely populated regions and vulnerable to disruptions from natural disasters.
• Satellite internet can be deployed rapidly to manage sudden demand surges and provides connectivity within moving platforms.
• GEO satellites orbit at 35,786 km, offer wide coverage but suffer from high latency, while MEO satellites offer a compromise between GEO and LEO.
• LEO satellites orbit below 2,000 km, have low latency, and use optical inter-satellite links for efficient data routing.
• Direct-to-smartphone services are being tested to eliminate the need for separate user terminals, promising greater accessibility.
• Control over satellite internet infrastructure is becoming a new dimension of national power, requiring comprehensive strategies for integration and governance.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Satellite Internet: Internet service provided through communication satellites orbiting the Earth.
• Mega-constellations: Networks of hundreds or thousands of satellites working in unison to provide global coverage.
• Latency: The delay before a transfer of data begins following an instruction for its transfer.