Satellite Internet – How It Works & Its Strategic Significance

Why We Need Satellite Internet

• Limitations of Ground Networks

  • Relies on cables & towers; uneconomical in sparsely populated areas.

  • Vulnerable to natural disasters (floods, earthquakes).

  • Poor for on-the-move connectivity in remote/temporary sites.

• Advantages of Satellite Internet

  • Global coverage, independent of terrain/infrastructure.

  • Rapid deployment for sudden demand surges.

  • Connectivity for mobile platforms (aircraft, ships, remote rigs).

  • Supports digital economy, civil infrastructure, and military strategy.

Features of Satellite Internet

• Mega-constellations (e.g., Starlink): hundreds/thousands of satellites in LEO (~few hundred km above Earth).

• Applications: Military ops, disaster response, healthcare, agriculture, transport.

• Dual-use nature: Civil & military; raises security concerns.

Case Studies:

• Hurricane Harvey (2017) – Viasat enabled disaster coordination after 70% cell towers failed.

• Russia–Ukraine war – Starlink used for troop coordination, medical evacuation, drones.

• India (Siachen Glacier) – Indian Army uses for extreme remote connectivity.

• Misuse Risks – Smuggled Starlink devices found with insurgent & drug groups in India.

How It Works

• Components:

  • Space Segment – Satellites with communication payloads (lifespan: 5–20 years).

  • Ground Segment – Earth stations & user terminals.

• Orbits:

  Feature	GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit)	MEO (Medium Earth Orbit)	LEO (Low Earth Orbit)
  Altitude	~35,786 km above equator	2,000 km – 35,786 km	< 2,000 km
  Coverage	~⅓ of Earth (except polar regions)	Larger than LEO, smaller than GEO	Small footprint (city-sized)
  Orbit Period	24 hours (matches Earth’s rotation)	2–24 hours	90–120 minutes
  Stationary Relative to Earth	Yes	No	No
  Latency	High (due to long signal path)	Moderate	Very low
  Satellite Size	Large	Large	Small (often table-sized)
  Cost	Very high (per satellite)	High	Low per unit
  Number Needed for Global Coverage	3	Dozens	Hundreds to thousands
  Examples	Viasat Global Xpress (GX)	O3b (20 satellites)	Starlink (>7,000 in orbit, planned 42,000)
  Advantages	Wide coverage with few satellites	Balance of coverage & latency	Low latency, cheaper launches
  Disadvantages	High latency, unsuitable for real-time apps	Moderate latency, high cost	Requires mega-constellations for coverage

Mega-Constellations

• Example: Starlink – 7,000+ satellites; plan for 42,000.

• Features:

  • On-board processing → smaller/cheaper user terminals.

  • Optical inter-satellite links → true “internet in the sky” with minimal ground reliance.

  • Seamless “hand-off” between satellites via steerable antennas (moving spotlight analogy).

  • Satellites communicate directly in space (laser-based links).

  • Creates a “space-based internet” or internet in the sky.

  • Allows global data routing with minimal dependence on ground stations.

  • Reduces latency and increases network efficiency.

  • Connectivity Challenges

    • LEO satellites travel at ~27,000 km/h.

    • Visible to a user for only a few minutes before moving out of range

Applications

• Civil:

  • Remote connectivity, IoE, navigation, smart cities.

  • Disaster management, telemedicine, precision agriculture.

  • Environmental monitoring, tourism, energy exploration.

• Military & Security:

  • Battlefield communication, surveillance, drone ops.

  • Resilient comms in conflict zones.

Cost Factor

• Current pricing: ~$500 for terminal, $50/month service.

• More expensive than terrestrial broadband, but vital in remote/critical use cases.

• Future: Direct-to-smartphone tech may remove need for terminals (e.g., AST SpaceMobile, Starlink tests).

Policy & Governance Needs

• Integrate into national resilience plans.

• Use to bridge digital divide & boost economic growth.

• Shape international governance of mega-constellations to protect strategic interests.