i believe the base stations for those can be triangulated leading to knocks on the for for unsanctioned traffic.

None of the major mobile satellite networks work without the terminal’s position being known.

> Starlink

Only when (if) Stalink removes the need for base stations and just sends the traffic directly between satellites.

It already does that. That's how Starlink works over the ocean.

does that mean the authorities can’t locate someone transmitting or receiving to/from starlink? in many places the consequences of detection could be dire…

No. The links between the satellites are lasers, but the user traffic still goes up and down over radio.

You still need the Starlink coverage to be enabled on system level, and the local government to care enough to track down Starlink users at the same time. I can't imagine that there are many countries that meet both criteria.

i believe countries with major firewalls and vpn blocking policies would track down and make examples of a set of users periodically if only to deter others.

Oh, cool. I haven't kept up to date. That's amazing.

There is also the travelling salesman hauling in external culture like games and movies via SSD. Wish there was a protocoll to deaddrop large file requests smuggled into a country.

yes massive store-and-forward :)