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Google Pondering $1 Billion Investment In SpaceX's Satellite Internet
mpicpp writes with a report that Google is close to finalizing an investment in SpaceX to fund the rocket company's vision for satellite-based, low-cost internet access. According to The Information (paywalled), Google is one of many investors for this round of fundraising. The Wall Street Journal (also paywalled) reports Google's investment at $1 billion. They add, "It is likely to take years to establish designs and potentially set up a specialized satellite-making facility. But SpaceX already has some important building blocks. Industry officials said the company builds its own navigation and flight-control systems for spacecraft, which could provide some elements for satellites. There also are synergies between parts SpaceX makes today for solar arrays on spacecraft and such devices intended for satellites."
Wow just read this and the one thing that jumps off the page
"Google has been considering satellite-based Internet service for more than a year. In late 2013, it hired satellite-industry veteran Greg Wyler, who at one point last year had more than 10 African-Americans working for him. Mr. Wyler left Google last summer and is now developing his own satellite-Internet venture."
What kind of fucked up country are you living in where that is a salient point in an article about space based internet!!!! How is that relevant to the story?
@Random_Adam
Sometimes a sig doesn't have to be funny!!
What's the point of having diversity quotas if you don't tell everybody?
The private sector already does most things better and more efficiently than the public sector. However there are a number of areas where even if the private sector can do it better they won't bother. These are the areas that there isn't money to be made in either the short or long term. Into these areas are where governments are traditionally expected to step in.
As a silly example back around the late 1800s private enterprise didn't see enough value to build a brewery in Brisbane, Australia. So the state government built one. Then they sold it to private hands later.
So in this example pure space exploration and research is unlikely to be funded by private entities at this time. So the government is still likely to be the one building and funding probes, deep space missions and the like and as a result will have to maintain a certain capability. Especially if the private sectors capability falls short of requirements.
Another thing to consider, you have identified "uncompetitive" as the key driver in the government making decisions. I don't think they really care when it comes to core decisions.
These are low-earth orbit satellites. Musk says he's expecting latency around 20-30ms. That's much higher than DSL or cable are capable of, but should be low enough for twitch gaming.
The satellites aren't very far away, and light travels much faster in vacuum than through fibre optic cable.
>. Seriously. The only thing Google really does is sell advertising; everything else they do can be seen as a means to that end,
Yep. Just like TV, which has been delivered via satellite since the 1980s. And radio. They make their money from ads.
Also like newspapers and magazines - subscriptions only pay for the paper they are printed on. The reporters, editors, etc are all paid for via ads.
Over 90% of all web sites too.
Enjoy your smoke signals.