FCC gives SpaceX green light for 7,518 new satellites

Elon Musk’s SpaceX won permission to deploy more than 7,000 satellites, far more than all operating spacecraft currently aloft, from U.S. regulators who also moved to reduce a growing risk from space debris as skies grow more crowded.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. has two test satellites aloft, and it earlier won permission for a separate set of 4,425 satellites -- which like the 7,518 satellites authorized Thursday are designed to provide broadband communications. It has said it plans to begin launches next year.

Space companies riding innovations that include smaller and cheaper satellites -- with some just 4 inches long and weighing only 3 pounds -- are planning fleets that will fly fast and low, offering communications now commonly handled by larger, more expensive satellites.

FCC gives SpaceX green light for 7,518 new satellites

I really did not see this coming. I had heard Bill Gates and Microsoft were cont
emplating a world wide satellite network... Then this. Please discuss as you feel fit. Is this a good thing? Or is Skynet signed off on?

They probably should have disapproved one of those 7,518 just to show they had sufficient authority in the matter.
Every one of these needs a tracking task assigned to it. I would like to see the control panel for that.

a reply to: charlyv

On the plus side:
Being set for low orbits, their lifetimes are limited.

The agency on a 4-0 vote advanced rules to require more calculations to demonstrate a planned spacecraft poses a minimal risk of collisions, and to minimize new orbiting debris -- for instance, from devices that remain aloft after releasing a satellite.

a reply to: Newt22

I am not so sure that approving that is in the best interest of us. With a network like that, they can pinpoint anyone anywhere if they want to find them. Next computer chips in our bodies I suppose, they can locate you now if you say something someone deems as inappropriate on a phone or the internet and have the cops there arresting you within minutes.

No hiding from whomever seizes control of our government in a couple of years.

a reply to: rickymouse

With a network like that, they can pinpoint anyone anywhere if they want to find them.

How?

a reply to: Phage

The built in obsolescence is a good thing. Most likely matches their power capabilities as well. The items we have orbiting this planet is overwhelming, especially since we know where MOST of those items are.

AD: That nebulous target database would also not include nuts,bolts,washers and whacked metal.

a reply to: charlyv

I read a good science fiction novel years ago (on the order of 30+ years ago). The premise being that we trap ourselves on the planet because of all the stuff in orbit.

Can't recall the title or author.

a reply to: Phage

Damned, now I want to read it!

WP is really not up to date on it's rendition of space junk monitoring. Like you pointed out the LEO objects are short lived and have lower velocities between 7 and 11 kms. Still fast as hell. Big stuff decaying in Orbit can be much faster.

impacts occur at up to 16 km/s (twice the orbital speed) if head-on – the 2009 satellite collision occurred at 11.7 km/s,[15] creating much spall in the critical size range. These can cross other orbits and lead to a cascade effect.

a reply to: charlyv

The lower an object is the greater its orbital velocity.

But atmospheric drag (yes, even up there) will bring it down sooner. My hunch is they have provisions for increasing drag, a trailing wire, something like that.

a reply to: charlyv

This is also for Phage as well. I have to kind of say my mind is racing a million different ways at once.

On one hand I get the heebie jeebies thinking how RFID was basically sold... It's weak, don't worry could never be used for tracking, etc. Especially from space. And at the time the strip couldn't be read from more then a few inches away, even with Hand Held scanner running Windows CE. However, within a few years we were scanning the doorway, as the fork lifts went from one side of the warehouse to the other. While behind the scenes, with the network, the ERP system updated everything from HR to Inventory. All from RFID.

Second Hand thought... Come on... Newt.... don't be a tool (yes 3rd person - shameful). I have been fixing Microsoft for 30 years now. They can't keep a laptop running, how will they keep a satellite in the space - Mint Rules!

Now the reality just seems to have shown itself to be potentially worse. What if it was weaponized? Small source power, multiple, temporary items used both offensively, or defensively. Burn up on re-entry would stop the speculation, until you add the further, permanent tier. But now?

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: rickymouse

With a network like that, they can pinpoint anyone anywhere if they want to find them.

How?

This probably is linked to the Global positioning communication improvements that the 911 agencies are waiting for. Pinpointing callers to within ten feet or so instead of being way off sometimes because of present technology. Many more satellites are needed for that, multiple hits are necessary to precisely identify a source. They will be able to use this same system with remote controlled cars to find the location of the person calling for a ride too. By the quantity of the satellites being asked to deploy, I feel it may be what is going on. I read an article a while back on this and they said they need many satellites to accomplish better pinpointing of a caller or to find someone. You wouldn't need so many satellites if it were plain Broadband, some larger ones could easily take on that task.

a reply to: Newt22

All from RFID.

It depends upon the RFID system. There are active systems, but they require a power supply, a battery.


Now, if you're using these satellites for your internet connection it's conceivable that you could be roughly located via triangulation but it would require a lot of effort. So unless you're someone really special (who is using those satelllites) I think you're good.

a reply to: rickymouse

This probably is linked to the Global positioning communication improvements that the 911 agencies are waiting for.

A GPS receiver is that. A receiver. The coordinates provided by your GPS receiver can be useful. But you are not being "tracked" by the satellites. Your receiver is using the signals from the satellites to locate itself. And they are amazingly accurate, within 3 meters or so genenerally. That's pretty amazing.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Newt22

All from RFID.

It depends upon the RFID system. There are active systems, but they require a power supply, a battery.


Now, if you're using these satellites for your internet connection it's conceivable that you could be roughly located via triangulation but it would require a lot of effort. So unless you're someone really special (who is using those satelllites) I think you're good.

Some of the plastic batteries MIT is playing with make me wonder. Then add solar power ring in space, Dyson ball ideas, and I should just probably go get a cup of Joe and calm it. Sorry I was late in mentioning the Plastic Battery, or small power source ideas.

a reply to: rickymouse

There is every cpu chip and just about every OS up there. While the old stuff could not come close to the overall reliability of CMOS, some still have PDP-11 hardware and RT11 OS - those will power fail or fall to earth before the hardware is toasted.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: rickymouse

This probably is linked to the Global positioning communication improvements that the 911 agencies are waiting for.

A GPS receiver is that. A receiver. The coordinates provided by your GPS receiver can be useful. But you are not being "tracked" by the satellites. Your receiver is using the signals from the satellites to locate itself. And they are amazingly accurate, within 3 meters or so genenerally. That's pretty amazing.

Not according to the people at 911 because their locations are sometimes blocks off. Also, around mineral deposits the satelite positioning doesn't always work, I learned that from the surveyer around here when he surveyed the neighbors lot. I used the gps to track my path in the back yard and it showed I was about thirty feet away from the exact path I came back on. I do not know if more satelites would take care of that problem here though, the guy who owned the survey company said he can't use the satellites to survey in a lot of areas around here. Sometimes you can't even use a compass in some areas, I know two such areas where a compass doesn't work.

The clocks used in GPS are synchronized to stratum 0 NTP servers.
The most accurate NTP driver (daemon) was MultiNet's NTP (by Proccess Software), running on Digital Equipment hardware (Unix/Linux/RSX/RT11) in Macro11 and Alpha assembly language and C/C++. Still in use today.

a reply to: rickymouse

In places on earth with magnetic wells, GPS database is used in conjunction with lidar detectors on the ground. The accuracy is astounding.

a reply to: Newt22

Are several satellites deployed with each rocket launch, or will it take +7,000 launches over a period of time, to get them in orbit?

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: rickymouse

This probably is linked to the Global positioning communication improvements that the 911 agencies are waiting for.

A GPS receiver is that. A receiver. The coordinates provided by your GPS receiver can be useful. But you are not being "tracked" by the satellites. Your receiver is using the signals from the satellites to locate itself. And they are amazingly accurate, within 3 meters or so genenerally. That's pretty amazing.

To a point.
Until your gps device is configured out of the box to identify its user and report back the location of that user art all times- ergo, modern cell phones.

Very interesting times are ahead for data security laws.