Internet from space

Competition for Starlink: Musk’s new challengers

(Bild: Nicolas Herrbach)

Internet from space, as offered by tech billionaire Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX, not only promises broadband access in the most remote locations, but also has strategic value for countries. No wonder that more and more players are following SpaceX's example and want to become space providers. Krone+ takes a closer look at the new competitors - one of which recently achieved a significant milestone.

By the time you read this article, Starlink will have more than 7,000 satellites in orbit, will be in military use by the USA and countries such as Ukraine - and, according to the operator, five million private customers around the world. In recent years, Musk's SpaceX rockets have launched stacks of satellites into space, which communicate with each other via laser; ground stations have been opened - and the company has gained a veritable lead over rivals such as Amazon Kuiper and OneWeb. Kuiper is "nothing more than a burger bar, while Starlink operates an interstellar McDonald's", one analyst draws a metaphorical comparison. But the race to catch up has begun: Krone+ reveals who is how far along.