Raise a glass to the night skies we’re losing to multiple megaconstellations in low-Earth orbit.
No amount of connectivity is worth trading our skies, but I’m not surprised the quest for profit gives no fucks about intrinsic beauty and human connection with the cosmos.
No amount of connectivity is worth trading our skies, but I’m not surprised the quest for profit gives no fucks about intrinsic beauty and human connection with the cosmos.
It’s not just the loss of our skies to a billionaire circlejerk that pisses me off.
It’s not just the tragedy of the commons executed unilaterally by one department of one country for the entire planet in trade for a frankly underwhelming benefit.
It’s all the cascading impacts
It’s not just the tragedy of the commons executed unilaterally by one department of one country for the entire planet in trade for a frankly underwhelming benefit.
It’s all the cascading impacts
It’s interference with weather satellites, leading to lower-quality forecasts thus endangering lives.
It’s interference with GPS screwing up detailed mapping, geodesy, beacon positioning for Search & Rescue, & a thousand other applications.
It’s overcrowding low-Earth orbit.
It’s interference with GPS screwing up detailed mapping, geodesy, beacon positioning for Search & Rescue, & a thousand other applications.
It’s overcrowding low-Earth orbit.
But the bit that really, really gets me?
This is a decision that impacts everyone on the entire planet, yet involved no meaningful or widespread consultation. The FCC even blew off objections from other American agencies like DHS, NOAA, & NASA.
It was decided for us, not by us.
This is a decision that impacts everyone on the entire planet, yet involved no meaningful or widespread consultation. The FCC even blew off objections from other American agencies like DHS, NOAA, & NASA.
It was decided for us, not by us.
“But the benefits outweigh the costs!”
Really? You sure about that?
Where’s the risk assessment?
Where’s the cost-benefit analysis?
What price are we putting on future lives lost & opportunities limited?
Did we quantify the value awe, inspiration, & beauty?
Really? You sure about that?
Where’s the risk assessment?
Where’s the cost-benefit analysis?
What price are we putting on future lives lost & opportunities limited?
Did we quantify the value awe, inspiration, & beauty?
Beyond billionaire bosses who are degrading our common resource to operate these for-profit services, who benefits?
“It increased connectivity!!”
Really? You sure about that?
Which new populations will now have internet access? You sure this was the primary barrier?
“It increased connectivity!!”
Really? You sure about that?
Which new populations will now have internet access? You sure this was the primary barrier?
Having coverage means exactly fuck all without devices that can connect, capacity to charge devices, and sufficient discretionary income to pay for service.
Don’t overlay satellite coverage on a population map and make grand claims if you haven’t done your homework.
Don’t overlay satellite coverage on a population map and make grand claims if you haven’t done your homework.
Once you’ve built economic support & infrastructure to enable connecting to the internet, I have just one quick question:
Why couldn’t you provide ground-based connectivity at the same time? It’s cheaper, easier to maintain, and faster.
But practicality is less flashy.
Why couldn’t you provide ground-based connectivity at the same time? It’s cheaper, easier to maintain, and faster.
But practicality is less flashy.
“Well, the trade-offs don’t bother me!”
Gee, wouldn’t it have been nice if there was meaningful widespread consultation? Then we could have a broad understanding how diverse stakeholders evaluate risks, costs, benefits, & impacts!
If only that were a normal process...
Oh, wait.
Gee, wouldn’t it have been nice if there was meaningful widespread consultation? Then we could have a broad understanding how diverse stakeholders evaluate risks, costs, benefits, & impacts!
If only that were a normal process...
Oh, wait.
