Indian telecom companies Airtel and Jio inks pact with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s satellite internet services to India | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Indian telecom companies Airtel and Jio inks pact with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s satellite internet services to India

Posted 12 Mar 2025

2 min read

Starlink is the world’s first and largest satellite constellation that uses Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband internet.

Satellite Internet

  • It is a wireless internet through communication satellites orbiting the Earth and is location independent, providing global coverage. 
  • Satellites communicate with each other using lasers, reducing dependence on ground stations.

Starlink Satellite Internet Service

  • Presently, there are around 7,086 starlink satellites in orbit. 
  • Each starlink satellite:
    • Contains 3 space lasers (Optical Intersatellite Links or ISLs) operating at up to 200 Gbps, which together across the constellation form a global internet mesh. 
    • Uses 5 advanced Ku-band phased array antennas and 3 dual-band (Ka-band and E-band) antennas to provide high-bandwidth connectivity. 
A presentation of how satellite internet works

 Significance of Satellite Internet

  • Improving access: Suited for unconnected areas or areas with unreliable connectivity.
  • Connectivity during Disasters: Starlink provided connectivity to Tonga after a massive volcano eruption and tsunami.  
  • Military applications: Provides connectivity between military bases and military planes, ships, drones etc. 

Concerns

  • Astronomical Interference: Bright light emitted by satellites in the night sky could interfere with astronomical observations.
  • Atmospheric changes: Plan to steering out of service starlink satellites into Earth’s atmosphere risks altering the atmospheric chemistry.
  • Technical limitations: Disruptions by extreme weather conditions and geomagnetic storms.
  • Tags :
  • Satellite Constellation
  • Satellite Internet
  • Broadband
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