• UGI USER
  • May 20, 2024
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“STARLINK LAUNCH IN INDONESIA BOOSTS INTERNET ACCESS AMID CHALLENGES”

Why in the news?

  • Elon Musk’s launch of Starlink in Indonesia is in the news for improving internet access in remote areas.
  • Starlink’s service experienced degradation due to a major geomagnetic storm, highlighting challenges faced by satellite-based internet providers.
Source:bbc

About Starlink project:

  • A SpaceX project to provide space internet via a constellation of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
  • Satellites deployed in the altitude band of 350 km to 1,200 km in LEO.
    • Reduced Latency:Lower altitude leads to reduced latency between sender and receiver.
  • Remote Connectivity:Enables internet access in remote areas where traditional methods like fiber-optic cables are not feasible.
About Geomagnetic Storms:

  • Major disturbances of Earth’s magnetosphere caused by variations in the solar wind.
  • Result from variations in the solar wind, impacting currents, plasmas, and fields in Earth’s magnetosphere.
  • Conditions for geomagnetic storms include sustained high-speed solar wind and a southward-directed solar wind magnetic field.
  • Ionosphere Heating: Geomagnetic storms can heat the ionosphere, affecting radio communications.
  • Auroras: These storms create beautiful auroras (northern and southern lights) near the poles, showcasing stunning visual displays.