Starlink aims to compete with telecommunications giants such as Movistar or Vodafone on equal terms. The satellite internet network now has a new rival with China.
SpaceX, also owned by the technology magnate, took advantage of the business in the LEO orbit, but it is not an innovation at this point. Its satellite constellation allows speeds of up to 400 Mbps, even the next generation aims to reach 1 Gbps.
The situation has changed in recent years. The Earth’s orbit is not the only one suitable for high-speed communications. China has shown that they could match Starlink’s results in GEO orbit.
China against the Starlink network
The Asian giant promises high-speed internet 36,000 km away, an unprecedented milestone. The GEO orbit has been used by research and communications satellites for decades, but it was not the most efficient option for internet access.
The signal must pass through the atmosphere, with the risk of distortion and communication diversion that this entails. The physical limitations are enormous, so Starlink opted for low orbit.
China has just shown that It is possible to achieve reliable communication in a much more distant orbit. The possibility of using GEO represents a competitive advantage for the country, which can take advantage of a space without so much saturation.
Starlink is barely different from a conventional terrestrial fiber network, at least in everyday use. China confirms that it can go further through communications with a powerful laser and a receiver located 36,000 km away.
A laser to replace satellite constellations
The Asian country has passed the first test. China has managed to deliver a power of 2 W using a laser 36,000 km away, the equivalent of the energy needed to light a light bulb.
The test was done last year, so the room for growth is huge. Researchers have calculated how satellite emissions are distorted as they pass through the atmosphere. The only viable solution is refraction using terrestrial optics.
Chinese scientists have confirmed that GEO orbit is also suitable for high-speed communicationsalthough the competition continues to aim to saturate the LEO.
Amazon Kuiper, the European IRIS² project and China with up to four companies are some of Starlink’s biggest rivals. Elon Musk’s company was a pioneer, but low orbit is beginning to become saturated, so the possibility of GEO being viable is a hard blow for SpaceX and company.
The next step for China will not be to launch more satellites into LEO orbit, but to build a stable network infrastructure. Efficiency prevails over quantity with enormous constellations.