Elon Musk’s Starlink

 

My kid brother John runs a small television, antenna, cable, and dish installation business in New Mexico. He’s been doing it for many years and he’s really good at it. He sends me pictures sometimes of huge flatscreen televisions he’s mounted on tile walls above fireplaces in extraordinarily expensive Santa Fe homes, stuff like that. He does nice work.

Lately, he’s been busy — really busy — doing Starlink installations. Starlink, as everyone probably knows, is Elon Musk’s space-based internet service provider. New Mexico is a huge, wide-open, mostly empty state with lots of mountains and pockets of wealth. It’s a booming market for Musk’s high-speed, low-latency, low-Earth-orbit service.

Starlink interests me. Not because I want it: I have inexpensive cable internet that does a great job for me. It interests me because it’s innovative, beautifully engineered, and one of the drivers of SpaceX (Starlink’s parent company) and Musk’s rocket business.

I have grown to appreciate Elon Musk’s style of engineering. He is a lot like the best of the entrepreneurial engineers with whom I work: smart, innovative, quirky, and somewhere on one or another spectrum. I like his openness, his willingness to fail spectacularly — and to let us watch. And I love that his rocket boosters land upright, sometimes two at a time.

Next time you see a television dish on someone’s house, note the arm rising up into approximately the middle of it. There’s a little receiver at the end of that arm; the dish is a parabolic reflector that focuses the signal from a faraway (geosynchronous) satellite on that receiver. (Sometimes, there are two receivers, and the dish focuses signals from a different satellite on each.) On internet-capable dishes, there’s a transmitter sharing space with the receiver, and the dish focuses the signal from that transmitter into a beam aimed at that far-away satellite.

Those aren’t Starlink dishes. Starlink dishes don’t have that arm sticking out, because Starlink dishes aren’t really dishes per se — they aren’t reflectors directing a signal toward a receiver. Rather, they’re what are known as phased array antennas. Each “dish” contains hundreds of little antennas in a honeycomb pattern. Sophisticated electronics and computers within the dish control the timing of the signal emitted by each of those little antennas so that the phases of the signals reinforce and cancel each other in a way that effectively aims the radio signal sent out.

None of that is necessary when dealing with a satellite that doesn’t move across the sky. But Starlink satellites are much closer than normal satellites and so move quickly. Starlink antennas have motors that will move them on their masts, but most of the satellite tracking is performed by the phased array, electronically shifting the angle of the emitted beam.

I read somewhere that Starlink now owns more than half of all functioning satellites in low Earth orbit. I don’t know if that’s true, but it’s certainly plausible.


I’m thinking about Starlink today because I read that Russia has put the world on notice that it might shoot down such satellites if it deemed them military threats — or, presumably, if Ukraine keeps using Starlink services to coordinate its defense.

Elon Musk replied to the threat, observing that SpaceX can launch satellites faster than the Russians can launch anti-satellite missiles. (Seriously, this is what I love about the guy.) That’s probably true: SpaceX can put them up about 50 at a time, and can do it week after week. I doubt the Russians have extensive anti-satellite capability.

Of course, the Russians have demonstrated a willingness to dump a lot of debris into orbit, threatening the physical integrity of satellites, space stations, astronauts, etc. It’s easy to imagine them exploding things in the orbit used by Starlink, filling it with nuts and bolts and dangerous junk.

But the more I think about that, the less effective a technique it seems. Space is big: the orbit Starlink satellites occupy is a bit bigger around than the surface of the Earth, and just imagine how much debris you’d have to put in the air at ground level to go all the way around the planet and threaten a few thousand refrigerator-sized objects. And, of course, it’s hard to blow things up at a carefully controlled speed. That means that debris is going to rise (if moving fast) or fall (if moving slowly) until it enters an orbit above or below Starlink’s, perhaps crossing orbits occasionally but not zipping around picking off one satellite after another.

Finally, every Starlink satellite has little Krypton-fueled ion engines that can adjust the satellite’s position: they aren’t entirely passive targets.

This threat from Moscow, at least, seems empty.

Published in Science & Technology
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  1. Chowderhead Coolidge
    Chowderhead
    @Podunk

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):
    I’m not worried about obstructions to the South. Dish network, DirectTV network, Hughes Network, and God knows what all else I’ve tried over the years, think that my southern exposure is stellar. The problem is only that conventional satellites don’t do that good of a job when it comes to service.

    Conventional satellites are geostationary above the equator, so aiming south matters, and aiming anywhere else doesn’t.

    Starlink satellites are not aligned with the equator at all, and are in low orbit. So aiming in various directions matters a lot. Starlink orbits are tilted such that the apparent motion angles and probabilities of needed aim points is biased to the north. That low orbit is largely responsible for Starlink’s stellar performance.

    Such is life.

    Consider mounting on a 15 or 20 foot rigid pole somewhere in your yard that minimizes obstructions. Maybe with guy wires.

    But a building roof should be fine too. It depends more on nearby trees, other buildings…

    Use the starlink app before you commit. It is actually pretty cool. You scan the position where you want to mount the dishy mcflatface receiver. Here in the northeast you can’t get away from the trees. It’s not that we don’t have the required satellites. As Phil said the satellites are in a stream overhead not in a single location. If the app says find some place better, believe it. I gave up on starlink.

    • #61
  2. Kevin Schulte Member
    Kevin Schulte
    @KevinSchulte

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):
    I’m not worried about obstructions to the South. Dish network, DirectTV network, Hughes Network, and God knows what all else I’ve tried over the years, think that my southern exposure is stellar. The problem is only that conventional satellites don’t do that good of a job when it comes to service.

    Conventional satellites are geostationary above the equator, so aiming south matters, and aiming anywhere else doesn’t.

    Starlink satellites are not aligned with the equator at all, and are in low orbit. So aiming in various directions matters a lot. Starlink orbits are tilted such that the apparent motion angles and probabilities of needed aim points is biased to the north. That low orbit is largely responsible for Starlink’s stellar performance.

    Such is life.

    Consider mounting on a 15 or 20 foot rigid pole somewhere in your yard that minimizes obstructions. Maybe with guy wires.

    But a building roof should be fine too. It depends more on nearby trees, other buildings…

    She doesn’t want to climb on any of her roofs. A pole can be tipped over for servicing whatever is on top. The recommendation was deliberate to address her stated constraints.

    A heavy duty birdhouse pole that telescopes from the ground up would do the trick.  Guy wires can be attached low to the ground. Raise the mast from the ground one section at a time. Then when it is secure at its top elevation (from the Lowe’s section off course ). Tie the wires off to the ground at 3 points. Whala, tall an stout. No ladder. 

    • #62
  3. Randy Weivoda Moderator
    Randy Weivoda
    @RandyWeivoda

    Ah ha, so that is why @she is hosting a Ricochet meetup at her farm.  Maybe some young whippersnapper will be there who can climb up on the roof to install this thing!

    • #63
  4. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):
    Consider mounting on a 15 or 20 foot rigid pole somewhere in your yard that minimizes obstructions.  Maybe with guy wires.

    I dislike mowing around guy wires. But a 15-20 ft utility pole shouldn’t require them in most places in glacial till country. 

    • #64
  5. Locke On Member
    Locke On
    @LockeOn

    She (View Comment):
    If you–Starlink–think I am climbing up one of those “obstructions to the North’ with my laser pointer, and some sort of other measuring device which can measure the vertical height of the obstruction if I discover that I’m within the horizontal range you specify, then I’m afraid you’ve got another think coming…..

    No laser toys or climbing required. All you need is a sunny day, a pole of known height, a tape measure and a bit of insight from your English heritage. Worked for me!

    • #65
  6. BDB Inactive
    BDB
    @BDB

    Locke On (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):
    If you–Starlink–think I am climbing up one of those “obstructions to the North’ with my laser pointer, and some sort of other measuring device which can measure the vertical height of the obstruction if I discover that I’m within the horizontal range you specify, then I’m afraid you’ve got another think coming…..

    No laser toys or climbing required. All you need is a sunny day, a pole of known height, a tape measure and a bit of insight from your English heritage. Worked for me!

    Don’t even need that.  If you can pace distance and hold a ruler upright at arm’s length, you can get it all done.

    • #66
  7. She Member
    She
    @She

    Randy Weivoda (View Comment):

    Ah ha, so that is why @ she is hosting a Ricochet meetup at her farm. Maybe some young whippersnapper will be there who can climb up on the roof to install this thing!

    Darn.  You smoked me out.  Wait until they see my “To Do” list….

    BDB (View Comment):

    Locke On (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):
    If you–Starlink–think I am climbing up one of those “obstructions to the North’ with my laser pointer, and some sort of other measuring device which can measure the vertical height of the obstruction if I discover that I’m within the horizontal range you specify, then I’m afraid you’ve got another think coming…..

    No laser toys or climbing required. All you need is a sunny day, a pole of known height, a tape measure and a bit of insight from your English heritage. Worked for me!

    Don’t even need that. If you can pace distance and hold a ruler upright at arm’s length, you can get it all done.

    Oh yes, I know all the tricks.  I am coming to the conclusion that a minimum of something like 40′ off the ground will work to the app’s satisfaction here, taking into account both the trees and the hill, and that the book, even in the way of enhanced Internet access, just probably isn’t worth the candle.

    Chowderhead (View Comment):
    Use the starlink app before you commit. It is actually pretty cool. You scan the position where you want to mount the dishy mcflatface receiver. Here in the northeast you can’t get away from the trees. It’s not that we don’t have the required satellites. As Phil said the satellites are in a stream overhead not in a single location. If the app says find some place better, believe it. I gave up on starlink.

    Thanks.  The problem with the app (for me) is that (unsurprisingly) I’m standing on the ground when I use it.  So of course there are lots of obstructions.  The only way to get a true reading of whether the place I’d like to put the thing will be adequate is to actually get up there and run the app from there, right?  My tree-trimmers (minor work, they’re not topping them) are coming soon, and I may ask to go for a ride in their cherry picker to see if it makes a significant difference.  But I’m coming to the conclusion this may not work for me, and probably not for millions of others who don’t live in the vast open spaces.  Oh, well.

    • #67
  8. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Randy Weivoda (View Comment):

    Ah ha, so that is why @ she is hosting a Ricochet meetup at her farm. Maybe some young whippersnapper will be there who can climb up on the roof to install this thing!

    I expect to read a great post-meetup report on all the helpful  / conflicting  / effective  / silly tweaking that the attending Ricochet nerds try or suggest on She’s system! :)

    • #68
  9. BDB Inactive
    BDB
    @BDB

    Full Size Tabby (View Comment):

    Randy Weivoda (View Comment):

    Ah ha, so that is why @ she is hosting a Ricochet meetup at her farm. Maybe some young whippersnapper will be there who can climb up on the roof to install this thing!

    I expect to read a great post-meetup report on all the helpful / conflicting / effective / silly tweaking that the attending Ricochet nerds try or suggest on She’s system! :)

    And then they’ll do what @philturmel says.

    • #69
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