1.

What role is to be played by LEO-based internet access – is it merely an

accessory to already existing networks or will it become the ultimate
model for all Internet-enabled services?

2. What are the potential benefits and challenges of LEO-based Internet

access?

Larry Press
lpress@csudh.edu
 Percent of urban & rural people using
the Internet IN 2021. Source
Short-run answer:

LEO broadband is important

where installing  terrestrial
fiber is impossible, like on a
ship,  or expensive as in rural 
and remote areas.

13-85% of rural people use

the Internet depending
upon the region
In the long run, a multi-orbit, multi-layer (MOML) Internet 

• deep space
• cis-lunar space
• GEO stationary Long ru
• MEO
• LEO broadband
• LEO narrowband
• HAP
• Aviation
• Terrestrial land
& sea

MOML connectivity
MOML connectivity today

• We have data relay services using LEO and

GEO  satellites.
• Several vendors have developed and
demonstrated Multi-orbit terminals and
antennas.
• Telesat and Eutelsat-OneWeb operate GEO
constellations now and are building LEO
constellations.
• OneWeb, SpaceX and SES (MEO) have
demonstrated aircraft integration.
• SpaceX Starlink is already marketing
consumer and maritime connectivity.
Speculation on tomorrow's MOML network

The Hybrid Space Architecture (HSA) project  of

the US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) may  lead
to MOML integration.

The DIU has let 8 HSA demonstration contracts so

far:
• Aalyria's Spacetime, a multi-layer, multi-
constellation operating system 
• Amazon and Microsoft: cloud and ground station
services
• Project Kuiper: service to underserved users
Aalyria Spacetime screenshot
• Five military-related contracts for battlefield
status, security and privacy

MOML demonstration in two years

Note: SpaceX is missing, Microsoft and Amazon are competing, Aalyria integrates it all, DIU and HAS are
reminiscent of ARPA and the ARPAnet in the past.
What are the potential benefits and challenges of
LEO-based Internet access?

The benefits are well known, so I will focus on four challenges

• Affordability
• Political interference and social division
• Debris
• China vs the US

In order of increasing difficulty

Fixed pricing is bad business and bad karma

Market  forces have  led to affordable

pricing.

• Large  investment and fixed cost 

• Low marginal cost if capacity exists
• At the US price, demand would be
low in a poor country or island

Operating at full capacity  requires

affordable prices.
Affordable pricing

SpaceX has adopted variable pricing and GDP per capita in 2022

service levels for residential consumers. 

Capacity is dynamic:

• Adding  satellites
• 5-year replacement cycle
• SpaceX V2 satellites will have nearly
10x capacity of current satellites
• SpaceX satellites now have inter- Source
satellite links and others will follow
• More and improved RF ground
stations
• Optical ground stations
Political interference and social division

Russians interfered in  Facebook hate speech promoted violence

the 2016 U. S. election
against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar
In 2011 1% of the population used the Internet.
In 2013 two mobile phone companies came to
Myanmar and by 2016 nearly 90% were online
and the violence escalated.

Source Source
Critical thinking education -- a partial long-run solution
I don't think I have taken a course that
specifically covers fake news/critical thinking,
but I have taken a couple classes that covered
similar topics. At Pali I took a media class that
talked about fake news and being able to
identify what news sources are reliable v.s.
unreliable. At SMC I took a philosophy class
that sort of covered critical thinking in general.
I think my philosophy class also talked a bit
about fake news but it was not a focus of the
class. Other than those two I don't think so. 
Lucas Gagne, Berkeley Jr. – my grandson ;-)
I’ve had scattered lessons since 6th grade about
determining the credibility of sources and in
9th grade I had a whole unit on bias in media,
misinformation, etc. 
It is pretty standard for me and my classmates
now to check multiple sources for our news
and research the qualifications of the
author/website before using any online
resources.
Sofia Woodward, high school sr.  – my
granddaughter ;-)
Debris

LEO is getting crowded. As of May 1, 2022, there were 4,700 satellites in low-Earth orbit.

Operator Application Broadband Internet plans

Civil 150 Communications 3,108 Telesat 298
Military 300 Earth 0bservation 1,055 OneWeb 720
Government 395 Earth science 23 Amazon 3,236
Commercial 3,694 Space science 77 China Satnet 12,992
Joint 161 Surveillance 12 StaceX 42,000
4,700 Technology demonstration 38 Total 59,246
Source Technology development 302
Join/other 85
4,700

More satellites increases the provability of collisions and debris tracking and mitigation
is a difficult technical and political problem requiring international collaboration.
China vs the US – economic and political

The Digital Silk Road project invests in digital

infrastructure around the world.

“Made in China 2025" is an initiative to

comprehensively upgrade Chinese industry.

Source

The CHIPS and Science Act will lower costs, create

Jobs, strengthen supply chains, and counter China.

The United States Government should ... maximize

the use of goods, products, and materials produced
in, and services offered in, the United States.

Source
Send me an email if you would like a copy of this
presentation. Most of the slides have links to relevant
documents.

Larry Press
lpress@csudh.edu