Elon Musk's Satellite Internet Service Starlink May Come To India: All You Need To Know

After meeting the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the US recently, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said that he is planning to bring SpaceX’s satellite internet service Starlink to India. Starlink is already providing satellite Internet access coverage to over 56 countries.

Starlink is the world’s first satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls, and more.

“We’re hopefully looking forward to bringing Starlink to India as well. The Starlink Internet, which I think can be incredibly helpful for remote or rural villages in India,” Elon Musk told reporters.

The goal of Starlink is to give super fast internet with minimal delays to places where regular internet options are not good. It will offer faster speeds and better connections for homes and businesses.

How Starlink Works

The Starlink constellation consists of thousands of small satellites, each weighing approximately 260 kilograms (570 pounds). These satellites are deployed in a relatively low orbit, around 550 kilometres (340 miles) above the Earth’s surface. By operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Starlink is able to achieve significantly lower latency compared to traditional geostationary satellite internet systems.

In simple words, the large number of satellites deployed above the Earth’s surface and their strategic placement help ensure a wide coverage area and reduce the delay in internet connections, providing users with high-speed and low-latency internet service.

“With Starlink, users can engage in activities that historically have not been possible with satellite internet. Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency service is made possible via the world’s largest constellation of highly advanced satellites operating in a low orbit around the Earth,” the Starlink website reads.

Why Starlink Is Important

Starlink could have a significant impact on India’s digital infrastructure. India, with its vast population of over 1.3 billion people, struggles to connect remote and rural regions due to the difficulties and expenses involved in traditional internet infrastructure installation.

By deploying thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), Starlink offers dependable internet connectivity with minimal delays to these underserved areas of India.