STARLINK DEVICES
- Starlink operates a large network of low Earth orbit satellites to provide broadband internet with fast speeds and low latency. This enables users not only to access essential services but also to stream content, play online games, make video calls, and engage in other data-intensive activities, as stated by the company.
- It is widely used in remote areas, on sea vessels, in disaster-hit zones, and in regions where internet access is limited or controlled by authoritarian governments.
- The Starlink system consists of thousands of satellites orbiting Earth at approximately 550 km. While it offers global coverage, SpaceX notes that it is not permitted to provide services in certain regions
- Starlink is a satellite internet constellation project developed by SpaceX, the private aerospace company founded by Elon Musk. The project aims to provide global internet coverage, particularly to remote or underserved regions that lack reliable broadband infrastructure.
- Starlink uses a network of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, which are placed much closer to the Earth compared to traditional geostationary satellites. This proximity allows Starlink to offer high-speed, low-latency internet services
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Global Coverage: Starlink aims to provide internet access anywhere on Earth, especially to rural or remote locations where ground-based internet services are unavailable or expensive.
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Low Earth Orbit Satellites: Unlike traditional satellite internet, which uses satellites in geostationary orbit (22,000 miles above Earth), Starlink’s satellites orbit at altitudes between 340 km and 1,200 km. This reduces latency (the time it takes for data to travel between the user and the satellite).
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High-Speed Internet: Starlink provides broadband-level speeds, typically ranging from 50 Mbps to 150 Mbps, with some users reporting speeds of up to 200 Mbps. Latency can be as low as 20-40 milliseconds, which is comparable to or better than traditional cable internet.
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Affordable Equipment: To access the Starlink service, users need a dish (referred to as the "Starlink Kit") that includes a phased array antenna, a Wi-Fi router, and cables. The setup is designed to be easy and self-installable.
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Ongoing Expansion: As of 2024, Starlink continues to launch additional satellites to expand its coverage and improve service reliability
- International borders are not rigid, and refining satellite internet coverage to match these borders with exact precision is challenging. This is further complicated by the fact that many borders are disputed or ambiguous, while satellites overhead continuously transmit encrypted signals.
- This encryption serves to prevent interference from militants or other malicious entities attempting to hack into the service. The central concern is whether militants in regions like Manipur could effectively access Starlink satellite internet in India.
- If these [Starlink] devices were purchased from outside India, by any means, they could still be used, as the device would then be authorized.
- The issue is whether the device has a location-tracking feature. If you buy a [Starlink] terminal in the U.S. and bring it to India, it might not work due to the change in geographical location—unless the terminal has an inbuilt location identifier."
- On December 16, the Spear Corps of the Indian Army posted photos on Elon Musk-owned X, showing guns, ammunition, and homemade mortars seized by army and police units in Manipur.
- Among the items, X users noticed a small satellite device and a router, which had the SpaceX logo. In response to a claim by an X user that Mr. Musk’s technology was being used by terrorists, the billionaire refuted the accusation, stating, "This is false.
- Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India." The Starlink device also displayed the markings "RPF/PLA," referring to a Myanmar-based Meitei extremist group banned in India. According to Starlink's website and coverage map, the service availability in Myanmar is not listed.
- This is not the first instance of SpaceX facing controversy in India. Last month, the Andaman and Nicobar islands police apprehended smugglers with over 6,000 kg of methamphetamine and a Starlink device allegedly used for communication and navigation, despite the service being banned in Indian waters. Additionally, in August, Starlink equipment was found being sold on the B2B platform IndiaMART
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For Prelims: Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, Starlink
For Mains: GS II & III - Governance, Cybersecurity and National Security
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