Satellite Internet Revolution

SpaceX's Starlink constellation shows how cheaper launches enable entirely new industries. Thousands of satellites now orbit Earth, delivering broadband internet to remote areas worldwide. Laser inter-satellite links route data through space, cutting latency on some long routes below that of fiber-optic cables.

Starlink earns billions a year, helping fund SpaceX's Mars plans. Amazon's Project Kuiper and OneWeb are building rival networks. So many satellites have also raised concerns about light pollution for astronomers and growing space debris in low Earth orbit.