Watch free online Documentary films in Cosmos Documentaries:
Internet from Outer Space
Internet from Outer Space
The entire globe can be provided with affordable high-speed Internet from
satellites in space. These newly developed mini-satellites in a low-earth
orbit as well as powerful antennas and signal processing chips make this
possible.
The digital revolution has radically changed the way we live and work. But
more than three billion people are still offline. As with any
infrastructure, fast data connections initially reach urban centers. People
who live in rural areas, even in rich industrialized countries, often have
to get by without reduced bandwidth. Now several consortia are competing to
bridge this gap with the help of hundreds of mini-satellites in low orbit.
The idea is not entirely new: 25 years ago, others already failed because of
their over-ambitious plans and technical limitations. It is only now that
high numbers of satellites can be produced quickly and cheaply through
automation and mass production. In February 2019, the OneWeb consortium
launched the first six 150-kilogram satellites into a low-earth orbit. On
their way to their final orbit at an altitude of 1,200 kilometers., the
satellites must pass through a dense array of GPS and Earth observation
satellites as well as the space debris of the past 60 years. Collisions are
not exceptional. And hundreds more mini-satellites in space will mean even
more space debris in the future. Dozens of ground stations are needed around
the globe to supply the numerous satellites with Internet data and receive
data from space. This requires sophisticated antenna technology, which is
also as yet available on the necessary scale. Not to mention the difficult
regulatory challenges facing Internet providers in over 200 states and
territories.
Internet from Outer Space
Production: DW
Duration: 42:00 min
Subtitles: English , German
Language: English
