Re:SpaceX just got FCC approval to launch 7,518 satellites
by stcredzero on Thursday November 15, 2018 @04:50PM
(#18463766)
The real trick is getting enough link margin with omni antennas to get good bandwidth.
What about phased arrays?
Also, why not have a completely different scale of ISPs? How about something the size of a soda vending machine or something the size of a suitcase which contains all the hardware for a very small scale internet service provider?
Re:SpaceX just got FCC approval to launch 7,518 satellites
by space_fountain on Thursday November 15, 2018 @05:16PM
(#18463985)
The latest rumors I'd heard was that was exactly the plan though still not at phone scale. The modem was supposed to be a pizza box sized piece of hardware with a phased array.
Re:SpaceX just got FCC approval to launch 7,518 satellites
by jandrese on Friday November 16, 2018 @11:36AM
(#18469786)
Phased arrays are nice, but have a slight problem with being stupendously expensive. It's going to be hard to convince people to jump on board if the starter hardware pack is $20k.
Re:SpaceX just got FCC approval to launch 7,518 satellites
by bargl on Thursday November 15, 2018 @06:26PM
(#18464480)
Kymeta is coming out with a directional flat antenna. It wouldn't suit for a phone but I don't think these are meant for phones. I was not saying cell phone would have spinny disks on the top.
The last part is, where I think the real fun will emerge. Doing everything above but optimized based on the load of each satellite with a link budget computation involved will be cool. It may prove out that the optimization isn't needed but I think that kinda stuff is fun.
Re:SpaceX just got FCC approval to launch 7,518 satellites
by SmellyGeekBoy on Friday November 16, 2018 @05:20AM
(#18467788)
> nobody wants a cell phone with a little cartoon satellite dish on top
Speak for yourself! ;)
Handoff between satellites isn't really that hard. Your phone knows where it is and what birds are overhead (and which are about to appear/disappear) so they can adjust automatically. Routing through the satellite constellation gets kind of hairy, but is also solvable via orbital mapping and some arcane routing algorithms.
The real trick is getting enough link margin with omni antennas to get good bandwidth. As fun as they would look, nobody wants a cell phone with a little cartoon satellite dish on top that whirls around to track birds passing overhead.