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SEOUL (Newsimpact=Jong Kuk Park) - In a bold move to expand his empire beyond electric cars, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, who previously conquered the electric vehicle market, is now venturing into the satellite internet services market.
Since its establishment in 2002, SpaceX has shown almost monopolistic dominance in the private space satellite sector. Musk's satellite internet venture, Starlink, has positioned artificial satellites in low Earth orbit, providing high-speed internet services worldwide, with over 4,500 satellites launched to date.
The current number of satellites orbiting the Earth stands at around 9,000, and astonishingly, half of them are satellites launched by Musk's initiatives. Despite this remarkable achievement, Musk's ambition knows no bounds. He has announced plans to deploy an additional 12,000 satellites by 2027, and ultimately reach a total of 42,000 satellites by 2030, aiming to solidify SpaceX's complete control over the satellite internet service market.
The satellite-based internet service market is currently regarded as the most promising emerging market. Its potential was demonstrated when Ukraine's communication infrastructure was devastated during Russia's invasion, and the Ukrainian military effectively communicated through SpaceX's satellite internet service, Starlink.
Moving beyond its infancy stage, the satellite internet market is now poised for significant growth. If Musk succeeds in launching 42,000 satellites by 2030, this groundbreaking technology will undoubtedly revolutionize the internet market.
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Satellite communication is divided into geostationary orbit and non-geostationary orbit. Geostationary orbit satellites stay at a fixed position in space, approximately 36,000 km from Earth, allowing them to maintain a constant link. On the other hand, non-geostationary orbit satellites, including Starlink, circle the Earth 13 to 14 times a day, providing a lower latency advantage due to their proximity to Earth, but requiring a greater number of satellites to cover a wider area.
Musk's plan to launch an unprecedented 42,000 satellites aims to create a dense network that will enable global coverage for satellite-based internet services, accessible from any corner of the world.
However, concerns are rising over the possibility of a monopolistic grip by SpaceX on the satellite internet service market. If SpaceX achieves a dominant position, it could lead to an information monopoly. Some experts predict that by 2030, Musk may become an absolute space hegemon, raising apprehensions beyond just economic implications, and extending to military, political, and national security concerns. Nations are not sitting idly by and watching this scenario unfold.
Presently, besides the UK-based firm OneWeb, there are hardly any competitors that can challenge SpaceX in the satellite internet market. OneWeb itself struggled through a bankruptcy crisis in 2020, surviving only with emergency funding from the UK government.
The New York Times recently reported that at least nine countries, including the European Union, have expressed concerns over Musk's Starlink project. The European Union has allocated 2.4 billion euros to build its own low Earth orbit satellite communication network, IRIS2, by 2027.
China, while sharply criticizing SpaceX's artificial satellites as "spy satellites," is actively pursuing its own project to launch 13,000 satellites. Additionally, the Canadian government has invested $1.75 billion CAD in TelSat to actively support low Earth orbit satellite development.
Elon Musk, who previously triggered the "Tesla Syndrome" in the electric vehicle market, is now leading SpaceX into the satellite communication market, turning it into a cosmic battlefront. The race for dominance in the satellite internet service market has truly begun, and the world awaits the outcome of this epic space endeavor.
By Jong Kuk Park, Chief Editor
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