[HN Gopher] Weird things about SpaceX's Starlink internet satell...
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       Weird things about SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites
        
       Author : kungfudoi
       Score  : 15 points
       Date   : 2022-12-27 21:25 UTC (1 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.space.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.space.com)
        
       | mondayp wrote:
       | 11. Starlink satellites can focus the beam doubling as potential
       | directed energy weapons.
        
         | jandrese wrote:
         | What is the EIRP of a starlink spot beam? Even if you had
         | multiple satellites blasting a single region with all of their
         | antennas does this do anything worse than raising the noise
         | floor? It just seems like the orders of magnitude are all off
         | for a weapon.
         | 
         | Maybe it gets powerful enough to burn out the radios in
         | smartphones? I can't find a good reference to the total TX
         | power from a Starlink satellite, but I do know that the spot
         | beams have a 15 mile diameter and the inverse square law is a
         | harsh mistress.
        
         | throwaway23597 wrote:
         | In all honesty, the fact that this laser based communication
         | exists makes me a lot more likely to believe that SDI was
         | actually a success in the classified world.
        
         | dandelany wrote:
         | This nicely illustrates one of the fundamental problems of
         | internet comments... it took 30 seconds to write this but it
         | would take me an hour to prove it's bull.
        
           | Rebelgecko wrote:
           | This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as Brandolini's law
           | or the Bullshit Asymmetry Principle
        
       | nullish_signal wrote:
       | """ The Starlink terms of service contain a section stating that
       | in the event that SpaceX will reach Mars and establish service
       | there, the company will have full independence from any
       | government on Earth.
       | 
       | "For Services provided on Mars, or in transit to Mars via
       | Starship or other spacecraft, the parties recognize Mars as a
       | free planet and that no Earth-based government has authority or
       | sovereignty over Martian activities," the Starlink terms of
       | service read. "Accordingly, Disputes will be settled through
       | self-governing principles, established in good faith, at the time
       | of Martian settlement." """
       | 
       | Very interesting. Perhaps this is why Musk doesn't mind paying
       | out-of-pocket to provide Starlink service in Ukraine.
       | 
       | Indebting all parties in the war to his vision for multi-
       | planetary independance?
        
         | wmf wrote:
         | This is illegal under the Outer Space Treaty. I'm tempted to
         | say it's a joke but Elon may be able to outmaneuver whoever
         | would enforce that treaty.
        
           | jandrese wrote:
           | Kind of a joke, but honestly there's not much someone on
           | Earth could do to enforce their will on Mars. In practical
           | terms they are on their own regardless.
        
           | bushbaba wrote:
           | The space force will enforce the USA needs on the Martians!
           | 
           | Also the us military assisted spaceX in its development.
           | There's a reason spaceX has ITAR compliance needs.
        
         | zeristor wrote:
         | I beleive a number of European countries are now covering
         | Starlinks costs in keeping Ukraine connected.
        
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       (page generated 2022-12-27 23:01 UTC)