Satellite internet delivers broadband by bouncing signals through spacecraft in orbit instead of through cables in the ground. The concept is simple — the engineering challenges of latency, bandwidth, and coverage make it one of the hardest problems in telecommunications.
Satellite internet delivers broadband by bouncing signals through spacecraft in orbit instead of through cables in the ground. The concept is simple — the engineering challenges of latency, bandwidth, and coverage make it one of the hardest problems in telecommunications.
A satellite internet connection makes a round trip of over 1,000 km — up, across, and back down.
Satellite internet has existed since the 1990s. Three technology shifts made LEO megaconstellations viable.
Satellite internet is always slow and laggy — it'll never compete with cable
That was true for GEO satellite internet. LEO constellations like Starlink achieve 20–40 ms latency — comparable to DSL and usable for video calls and gaming.
You need a huge dish and professional installation
Modern LEO terminals are flat phased-array antennas the size of a laptop. Self-install, plug in, point at sky.
Next: a deep dive into Starlink's architecture — shells, laser links, and ground stations.