As the thread name suggests, this is the thread to bounce crazy, fringe ideas around. No racist post, please.
here's mine:
TL;DR: Starlink is actually an orbit occupying, money blackmail device.
So, hear me out. I've been skeptical about Starlink's economic calculation, until today. I was reading a random web novel that has a "roaming terminator" as a part of its plot.
The "roaming terminator" is a constellation of small, cheap satellites that enables network providers to serve their customers anywhere, anytime (sounds familiar?). Since you're still connected to the same operator no matter where you are, there's no more roaming involved, hence the name of the constellation.
In the web novel, people around the world were skeptical of the constellation's economics, until an important event happened. A certain country's space agency paid some hefty "consulting fees" to the company operating the "roaming terminator". It turns out the satellite of the "roaming terminator" is occupying the orbit spot which that space agencies also want to use.
That space agency has 2 options, shot down that annoying satellite, or pay "consulting fees" to "adjust" the satellite's in-orbit position. The problems with shooting down the satellite are obvious; it's hard to do, freaking expensive, and will also create diplomatic troubles. So, in the end, they chose to yield and pay the "consulting fees".
then, the constellation operator company launched another constellation at another orbit, this time also "coincidentally" occupying the orbit spots of many in-the-works satellites. The approach was simple; "Want us to move? pay some consulting fees."
it's obvious where the rest is going, so I'll spare you the boredom of reading my bad narration.
So there you have it, my tin foil hat theory.
here's mine:
TL;DR: Starlink is actually an orbit occupying, money blackmail device.
So, hear me out. I've been skeptical about Starlink's economic calculation, until today. I was reading a random web novel that has a "roaming terminator" as a part of its plot.
The "roaming terminator" is a constellation of small, cheap satellites that enables network providers to serve their customers anywhere, anytime (sounds familiar?). Since you're still connected to the same operator no matter where you are, there's no more roaming involved, hence the name of the constellation.
In the web novel, people around the world were skeptical of the constellation's economics, until an important event happened. A certain country's space agency paid some hefty "consulting fees" to the company operating the "roaming terminator". It turns out the satellite of the "roaming terminator" is occupying the orbit spot which that space agencies also want to use.
That space agency has 2 options, shot down that annoying satellite, or pay "consulting fees" to "adjust" the satellite's in-orbit position. The problems with shooting down the satellite are obvious; it's hard to do, freaking expensive, and will also create diplomatic troubles. So, in the end, they chose to yield and pay the "consulting fees".
then, the constellation operator company launched another constellation at another orbit, this time also "coincidentally" occupying the orbit spots of many in-the-works satellites. The approach was simple; "Want us to move? pay some consulting fees."
it's obvious where the rest is going, so I'll spare you the boredom of reading my bad narration.
So there you have it, my tin foil hat theory.