SpaceX will launch three to seven Starlink missions in 2019.
The May 15 launch will carry dozens of satellites.
SpaceX needs at least 800 to start a commercial service.
Shotwell: Starlink launch now scheduled for May 15; will have “dozens” of satellites on board (but is not more specific). #SATShow
— Jeff Foust (@jeff_foust) May 7, 2019
Light travels 45% faster in vacuum versus fiber optic cable. Lasers for Starlink satellites will enable fast low latency connections.
A 3-millisecond decrease in one-way communication time between the Chicago and New York areas was worth about $100 million per year. Chicago is the 17th ranked financial center. From 2013-2018 over $500 million was spent over five years on microwave connections to reduce latency between New York and Chicago.
The SpaceX Starlinks could save 30-50% of the latency time. This is because the speed of light is almost twice as fast in space as it is in a glass fiber. The value for the Starlink financial latency reduction should be even higher. Let us say it is double the New York to Chicago price. This means the premium pairing of the top 30 financial cities is worth over $80 billion per year. Other industries may pay for premium pairing but there has to be a lot of money involved and value for shaving 30 milliseconds at some time in the year.
SOURCES – Twitter, Spacenews, SpaceX
Written By Brian Wang