Gale Hawkins
Super Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2009
- Messages
- 8,265
- Location
- Murray, KY
- Tractor
- 1948 Allis Chambers Model B 1976 265 MF / 1983 JD 310B Backhoe / 1966 Ford 3000 Diesel / 1980 3600 Diesel
I was thinking like you about Starlink until a year ago. I kept asking myself how does a company get the FCC approval for 12,000 satellites and now have the FCC applying for frequencies for another 30,000 satellites with influential science people complaining about the first batch launched. When the military connection from over two years ago came to my attention then the light bulb on the subject started shining like a Starlink satellite. With a $19M government check in hand it makes private investors feel more secure. SpaceX is saving the USA tax payers billions already.
SpaceX's Starlink eyed by US military as co. raises $5 -75 M for development
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/1718270/
"Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Hawthorne, California, has been awarded a $28,713,994 competitive, firm-fixed-price, other transaction agreement for experimentation per the advanced research announcement, FA8650-17-S-9300. This agreement allows for experimentation in the areas of establishing connectivity, operational experimentation, and special purpose experimentation. Experimentation will include connectivity demonstrations to Air Force ground sites and aircraft for experimental purposes. For the proposed Phase 2, the awardee proposes to perform experiments in two other key areas: early versions of a commercial space-to-space data relay service and mobile connectivity directly from space to aircraft. Work will be performed in Hawthorne, California, and is expected to be completed by June 18, 2021. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $19,167,989 will be obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-9-9320). (Awarded Dec. 19, 2018)"
SpaceX submits paperwork for 3 , more Starlink satellites - SpaceNews
"The FCC, on SpaceX’s behalf, submitted 20 filings to the ITU for 1,500 satellites apiece in various low Earth orbits, an ITU official confirmed Oct. 15 to SpaceNews."
2 7 Chinese anti-satellite missile test - Wikipedia).
"On 11 January 2007, China conducted an anti-satellite missile test. A Chinese weather satellite—the FY-1C polar orbit satellite of the Fengyun series, at an altitude of 865 kilometres (537 mi), with a mass of 750 kg[1]—was destroyed by a kinetic kill vehicle traveling with a speed of 8 km/s in the opposite direction[2] (see Head-on engagement). It was launched with a multistage solid-fuel missile from Xichang Satellite Launch Center or nearby."
Every since this event the free world has been aware in a pre war event they could loose a number of critical military satellites. With the allied military having access to 42,000 low orbit communication satellites naturally they would feel more secure. After the attacking bases were neutralized the network of satellites could be back in service soon I expect one way or another. I expect the speed of Starlink was determined more by the needs of military gamers than civilian gamers.
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