Why is Elon Musk sending thousands of satellites into space?

Elon Musk’s company SpaceX is launching thousands of satellites. Many people say that they have seen many satellites of this company in the sky. They are part of the Starlink project. Their purpose is to bring internet service from space to the far flung areas of the earth.

Starlink provides Internet service with the help of a large network of satellites, the purpose of which is to connect remote areas with fast internet. According to Dr. Lucinda King, Space Projects Manager at the University of Portsmouth, “The people of the countries of the world, such as many African countries, will benefit greatly from this.” Starlink’s satellites are very close to Earth, i.e. in low-level orbit. This will help in providing a faster connection between the ground and the satellite. But many low-level satellites will have the burden of providing coverage all over the world.

It is believed that Starlink has put 3000 satellites in orbit since 2018. Chris Hall, editorial director of the Pocketlint website, says that this number can go up to ten to twelve thousand. “With the use of satellites, you can bring the Internet to the mountains and deserts. This will eliminate the need for a large infrastructure on the ground, we will not need cables and long poles,” he says. Starlink is seen as a streak of light.

Compared to the current internet providers, Starlink will not very cheap. the company charges $99 from a consumer. Connection requires a dish and router, which costs $549. But 96 percent of the people in the UK currently have fast internet. The US and the European Union have this facility in 90 percent of homes. “Most developed countries already have good connections. They rely on a small portion of the market to earn money,” says Professor Saeed Mosteshar, from the University of London’s Space Policy and Law.

The company says that they have 4 lakh subscribers in 36 countries. Most of them are in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. These include connections for business and home use.