LEO as a Broadband Solution
Headlines commonly provide updates to Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink program. The SpaceX satellites are low earth orbiting satellites (LEO).
What are the pros and cons of low earth orbit satellites as a potential broadband solution?
Lamar Owen, Chief Technology Officer at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) provides some insights in this series of recordings on the topics of broadband and PARI.
SpaceX Downlink, Uplink, Latency, and Capacity
The internet user experience can be associated with key broadband metrics, including the download, upload, and broadband latency. Additionally, our WNC Broadband project team member, Stagg Newman questions the capacity of a SpaceX satellite and its ability to serve communities.
We need to consider whether Space X can provide the downlink and uplink speeds needed, the low latency, and importantly the capacity to help solve the WNC Broadband challenges.
Stagg Newman, Former Chief Technologist, U.S. National Broadband Team, FCC
Stagg Newman, a WNC Broadband Project Team lead; also provides the link below on capacity and other challenges of SpaceX.
One way to think about SpaceX capacity is to realize that the entire capacity of the SpaceX satellite fleet that will be over the United States at any one time is about the same capacity as one single fiber equipped with the latest and greatest opto-electronics!
Stagg Newman, Former Chief Technologist, U.S. National Broadband Team, FCC
The WNC Broadband Project Team will be hosting a WNC Broadband Summit with UNCA and the Dogwood Health Trust in early March. Stay tuned for details and please contact a member of the WNC Broadband Project Team with any questions.
Also See
Broadband at PARI Series
- Part 1 – Introduction to Lamar Owen at PARI
- Part 2 – History of Broadband at PARI
- Part 3 – Broadband has enabled connectivity at PARI
- Part 4 – the Future of Broadband at PARI
- Part 5 – Broadband and Virtual Education
- Part 6 – Broadband and Video Conferencing