SpaceX is buying communications smallsat operator Swarm Technologies

Re:SpaceX is buying communications smallsat operator Swarm T... by grecy on Sunday August 08, 2021 @09:29AM (#28106542)

> they are buying out a potential competitor

I think it's pretty clear SpaceX doesn't have any competitors in the satellite constellation business.

SpaceX will spend something like ten billion dollars to build out the full Starlink constellation using their own launch services, which are vastly cheaper than anything anyone else has.

Potential competitors would have to spend an insane amount of money to launch their constellations, which basically means it will never happen.

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Re:SpaceX is buying communications smallsat operator Swarm T... by sandworm101 on Sunday August 08, 2021 @09:47AM (#28106658)

So they are in violation of antitrust rules? If space is the future, SpaceX is the railroad and should not grant cheaper rates for cargo from its other businesses.

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Re:SpaceX is buying communications smallsat operator Swarm T... by toomuchtodo on Sunday August 08, 2021 @10:30AM (#28106967)

Good luck arguing this to regulators. They are cheap, but not the only option, both in the US and globally.

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Re:SpaceX is buying communications smallsat operator Swarm T... by nickik on Monday August 09, 2021 @05:00AM (#28114119)

That logic doesn't work with current court interpretation of Anti-Trust. Read Judge Richard Posner on modern Anti-Trust law. Its not the late 1800s where it was basically politicians driving Anti-Trust train.

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Re:SpaceX is buying communications smallsat operator Swarm T... by ctdonath on Sunday August 08, 2021 @10:56AM (#28107183)

Can argue SpaceX is a global telecom company which is selling excess transport capacity to fund their transport cost center.

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