Space Internet?!?
The internet has become an integral part of our lives; we use it every day. And for many of us, we use the internet all day. Can you remember what life was like before the internet? Remember how difficult it was? Because of the internet, we’re connected with billions of people worldwide, and we have access to a seemingly unlimited stream of information. Life without the internet is unfathomable.
According to statistics company, Statista, as of October 2020, almost 4.7 billion people use the internet or 59% of the world’s population. That leaves about 40% of the world’s population without access to the twentieth century’s greatest invention. The reason so much of the world doesn’t have access is due to many factors. Geography, a lack of resources, culture, education, and politics are all factors that leave some 4 billion people without the internet. Thankfully, the man who plans to populate Mars also plans to populate Earth with the internet.
Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, plans to develop a satellite network that will provide low-cost internet to underserved and remote communities worldwide. The satellite network’s name is Starlink. SpaceX has already launched more than 1,000 satellites and is offering early access to its public beta in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Just last year, SpaceX won nearly $1 billion from the Federal Communications Commission to bring its Starlink services to rural areas in the US. SpaceX eventually plans on having up to 12,000 satellites in orbit delivering high-speed internet across the globe.
I am not a financial advisor and my comments should never be taken as financial advice. Investments come with risk, so always do your research and analysis beforehand.