Elon Musk. The name likely rings a bell. When you think of him, you might picture self-driving electric cars, Mars colonization dreams, or one of the world’s wealthiest people.
One of his latest ventures involves regularly launching rockets, all tied to his Starlink internet project. With Starlink, Musk aims to create a global internet connection, making traditional providers nervous. Excitingly, Mercuron is among the first in Belgium to test this out!
Starlink is part of SpaceX, the private company led by Elon Musk. SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. Founded in 2002, its mission is to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling life on other planets. Every year, we inch closer to a Mars colony.
Starlink, like Tesla and Neuralink, stems from Musk’s visionary approach. It’s a division under SpaceX, consisting of a network of satellites orbiting Earth. Development began in 2015, and the first prototypes launched in 2018. More satellites have since been added, with over 1,700 currently in orbit, including prototypes.
Technically, Starlink can provide internet anywhere in the world. However, it’s still in its Beta phase, with only about one-tenth of the planned satellites operational, meaning full coverage isn’t available yet. But don’t worry, Belgium is part of the beta testing, and Mercuron has a Starlink antenna ready to go.
Yes and no. Starlink aims to offer fast, stable internet to those lacking it, particularly in rural and remote areas. However, the potential uses are vast. For instance, you could mount the antenna on a mobile home for internet on the go. While currently best suited for rural areas due to interference in cities, future models might work well on the move.
Starlink’s pricing includes a one-time purchase cost for the satellite dish and router (€499 excl. VAT) and a monthly subscription (€99 excl. VAT). This subscription offers unlimited data, speeds up to 250Mb/s, and latency of 20-40ms. These prices apply during the testing phase, with efforts underway to reduce costs.
Despite the complex technology, setting up Starlink is simple. Download an app, set up the antenna, connect to Wi-Fi, and you’re online. A helpful video from “How To Do It All” shows the process.
Want to see Starlink satellites? Visit findstarlink.com, enter your location, and it will show when and where to look. Starlink satellites travel in “trains” and the site tracks their visibility.
SpaceX’s reusable rockets make frequent satellite launches possible, supporting their Mars colonization goals. Starlink internet helps fund these ambitions, and the technology tested on Earth will eventually be applied on Mars.
Interestingly, Starlink’s terms of service mention Mars as a “free planet,” independent of Earthly governments, hinting at SpaceX’s future plans.
As a new technology, Starlink faces reliability issues, especially with signal obstructions from weather or buildings. More satellites will improve coverage. Conservation and astronomy groups have raised concerns about the satellites’ impact on the night sky and nature. SpaceX is addressing these with darker, less reflective satellites.
Starlink promises download speeds over 100 Mbps, upload speeds over 20 Mbps, and latency under 31 milliseconds. Early tests show speeds can reach up to 270 Mbps, though they can drop in less covered areas. For current speeds and user experiences, check the Starlink subreddit.
At Mercuron, we stay on top of RF innovations. Intrigued by SpaceX’s Starlink, we became one of Belgium’s first beta testers. We believe in the potential of this technology, especially in areas with poor connectivity. For our office, one Starlink unit could offer significantly faster internet than current providers.
By monitoring and testing Starlink, we aim to leverage its capabilities to enhance connectivity in Belgium, embracing this exciting technological frontier.
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Mercuron, a Belgian company, specializes in wireless communication. With our expertise in radio waves, we create ASTRID and mobile phone signal amplifiers from the ground up.
