[arto]

[flagged]

[qwertox]

> This message beamed to space from an undisclosed location

Just as undisclosed as the location I posted this message from, also distributed globally. For Starlink, and therefore for the authorities, your position is well known.

[bad_haircut72]

Not a time to get philosophical when your drone team on the zero line in Ukraine loses comms

[paganel]

They should always have had a second, back-up option, because relying on such a brittle a thing as satellite comms when fighting a military power like Russia was bound to have issues.

[tjpnz]

Which is why they don't use it for that. Too susceptible to jamming and Elon's politics on a given day. All their drones will be fly by (fiber optic) wire now.

[piokoch]

I think Ukraine is using military version of Starlink - Starshield, maybe it does not have issues.

[traceroute66]

> the technological miracle and marvel that it is

Its not a miracle or a marvel, its basic physics.

LEO satellites will provide better internet experience than traditional satellites because they are closer to the earth.

Now, whether you want to blow smoke up Mr Musk's backside because he was the first to market with Starlink is a different subject. But it also not a subject worthy of the "miracle" or "marvel" title.

Personally I look forward to the day where there's a competitor product available, its merely a case of when not if.

Most Western countries are also busy improving fibre coverage to rural areas as old copper networks get decommissioned.

[throwaway77385]

> Most Western countries are also busy improving fibre coverage to rural areas as old copper networks get decommissioned.

Ahaha, tell that to the UK countryside. I'm the last person who wants to stuff more money up Elmo's arse, but I have no other choice. Cannot wait for a competitor to show up, but just look at the head-start that Starlink has.

[philipallstar]

> LEO satellites will provide better internet experience than traditional satellites because they are closer to the earth.

The physics is the easiest bit of what Starlink have done.

[zubspace]

Maybe I'm missinformed, but doesn't starlink have to comply with rules made by local authorities? Afaik, when the internet goes down, like it happened in Thailand, Starlink can't be used too, because it always roots traffic to a ground station near the source.

If this would not happen, I would agree that Starlink is the future. But as it is right now, I don't see the point, unless you are living in or travelling to remote places.

[philipallstar]

I think lots more is routed through the satellite network now[0].

[0] https://hackaday.com/2024/02/05/starlinks-inter-satellite-la...

[inemesitaffia]

Depends if they want to operate legitimately

[Joel_Mckay]

The Suns 11-year cycle is hitting the ionosphere hard right now.

Great for Ham Radio bounce contacts, but a lot of space equipment won't do well. =3

People are still unsure why the sun hasn't accidentally cooked us thus far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r5ZCESOpP0

[yzydserd]

> appreciate the technological miracle

What part of the solution is a technological miracle?

[unkulunkulu]

The whole possibility of it.

If you put yourself in a position “one foot from success”, then you will be able to devalue any achievement this way.

If you see from the point of “empty universe”, you will see magic everywhere. This is the real magic.

[YeahThisIsMe]

Or one could just not be weird about it.

[LightBug1]

Which funds the dreams of a disgusting man-baby. No thanks.

I guess it's a branding problem more than anything.