Starlink & Global Internet

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

SpaceX 'Beam Switching' Could Save the Trees Around Starlink Installs
The new technology should maintain a steady signal, even when a dish is partially obscured.
By Jon Martindale August 1, 2025
https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/s ... k-installs

SpaceX has announced a new "beam switching" update to its Starlink dishes, allowing them to maintain connection even if they are partially obscured by moving elements like tree branches. This is thanks to a software tweak that takes full advantage of the now 8,000+ satellites providing Starlink's high-speed, low-latency broadband internet connectivity to users all over the world.

More importantly, Starlink installers won't need to cut trees down anymore.

As a satellite-based internet solution, Starlink dishes require a clear and consistent view of the sky. But where past versions of Starlink needed a really clear view of the sky—without tree cover or additional obfuscating factors—that's no longer such a concern. After the recent update, SpaceX now claims that Starlink can work around occasional impediments or when a satellite moves out of sight. There are so many Starlink satellites now that it can easily switch to another.

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

China Expands Guowang Satellite Constellation to 72 Units
It still has a long way to go to compete with Starlink, which has over 8,000 active satellites.
By Jon Martindale August 18, 2025

China expanded its native broadband satellite low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation, known as Guowang, with another five satellites following this weekend's successful Long March 4C launch. This brings the total number of satellites to 72, putting China on target to hit its milestone of 400 satellites by 2027—though it's still far from its planned 13,000-strong constellation network.

Following the success of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet network, a number of companies and countries have planned to build something similar. In the US, Amazon's Project Kuiper network will compete directly for Starlink's domestic audience, while Europe is pushing the Eutelasat network, among other initiatives. In China, however, the state is pushing the Guowang network as an alternative to Starlink for rural broadband provision. Guowang is also designed to harden China's network infrastructure with additional redundant means of communication and data transmission.

https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/c ... o-72-units

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

SpaceX Launch Will Be Five Times Lower Cost for End of 2025
August 26, 2025 by Brian Wang
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2025/08/s ... -2025.html

This launch is transformational for SpaceX. Dummy Version 3 Starlink satellites were successfully deployed. They can start launching real Starlink version 3 satellites with the next launch in September or October.

All other rockets just deploy payload and lose the rockets. Starship deploying payload and expending the booster and the upper stage means SpaceX will launch payload cheaper then a Falcon 9 that reuses its booster.

SpaceX has shown they fairly reliably reuse the new super heavy booster. Even without saving the upper stage, Starship with booster reuse will be ten times more affordable than Falcon 9.

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

SpaceX Starlink V3 Satellites
October 13, 2025 by Brian Wang

In 2026, SpaceX will be launching many of the larger V3 Starlink satellites from the reusable Starship.

Dummy version of the V3 Starlink were launched on SpaceX Starship flight 10 and flight 11.

Starlink V3’s 60 meter span is like a blue whale. AST Space Mobile Block 2’s array rivals a tennis court.

https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2025/10/s ... lites.html

[wjfox]

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

iPhones Could Soon Connect to Satellites Without a Clear View of the Sky
The company began investing in satellite technology nearly a decade ago.
By Devesh Beri November 10, 2025

Apple is working on enhancing the iPhone's satellite connectivity, which is crucial for helping users access emergency services beyond the range of traditional mobile networks. With its forthcoming update, iPhones could connect to satellites without a clear view of the sky.

Apple began investing in satellite technology nearly a decade ago. The initial idea was to enable iPhones to communicate with satellites directly, without relying on mobile carriers. Over time, that vision evolved into a more achievable goal centered on adding satellite connectivity to existing hardware, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman notes.

The first fruit of this effort came in 2022 with the iPhone 14's Emergency SOS via Satellite, which lets users contact emergency responders even when they have no mobile coverage. In 2023, Apple expanded the feature by teaming up with AAA to help stranded drivers through the company's roadside assistance. More recently, the company has let users send and receive messages over satellite networks when they are off-grid. The feature has also reached the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Mockup of Apple's satellite services screen asking the user to point their iPhone at the sky.
Credit: Apple

Now, Gurman reports that Apple is working on making "natural usage" improvements that would enable an iPhone to connect to a satellite, even with physical obstructions. Currently, reaching a satellite requires an iPhone user to find a clear view of the sky; trees, buildings, and other objects can impede the connection.

"The company aims to let users stay connected while their iPhone is in a pocket, car, or even indoors—eliminating the need to physically point the device toward the sky," Gurman writes.

https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/ipho ... of-the-sky

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]