An additional nine companies are working on a plan like that of SpaceX, to place a "satellite constellation" around the globe in low earth orbit. Starlink satellites alone will number about 12,000.
That sounds like a lot of satellites. Astronomers aren't real happy with so many new, bright lights in the sky that will be visible to the human eye (about 100 at a time). And some people are worried about too much "junk" in space.
According to Elon Musk, “Potentially helping billions of economically disadvantaged people is the greater good . . That said, we’ll make sure Starlink has no material effect on discoveries in astronomy. We care a great deal about science.”
About 3-4 billion people currently have no access to the internet. SpaceX will use their subscriptions to help fund its Mars goal.
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