Feb 01, 2024 12:30:00

Starlink's system can transmit 42 million GB of data per day

SpaceX engineers have revealed that

Starlink , the satellite internet developed by SpaceX, distributes more than 42 million GB = 42 PB (petabytes) of data per day.

Starlink's Laser System Is Beaming 42 Million GB of Data Per Day | PCMag
https://www.pcmag.com/news/starlinks-laser-system-is-beaming-42-million-gb-of-data-per-day

According to SpaceX engineer Travis Brashears, who spoke at

the SPIE Photonics West technology exhibition in San Francisco, Starlink uses a system of 9,000 lasers that exchange more than terabits of data every second. , and is distributing 42PB of data to customers per day.

PCMag/Michael Kan

According to Brashears' explanation, Starlink connects thousands of satellites orbiting the Earth to form a 'laser link system' and build a mesh network in space. This reduces communication waiting time and expands the coverage area.

This laser system is even capable of connecting two satellites more than 5,400 km apart, and a mesh network is constantly formed and maintained, supplementing the laser approximately 266,141 times per day. The system maintains a 100Gbps connection per link and can even reach transmission speeds of up to 200Gbps.

By building a network that covers the earth, the satellite is especially useful for acquiring data ``when SpaceX's ground station is not nearby,'' such as in the ocean or over Antarctica.

Brashears also presented a slide showing that the laser system can send data in 'seven different paths' to a satellite antenna placed in the South Pole, explaining that these paths can be dynamically changed in milliseconds. . Brashears said that installing ground stations is essential to building these routes, saying, ``As long as you have a path to the ground station, you can achieve 99.99% uptime. That's why it's important to install as many nodes as possible. is important,” he added.

PCMag/Michael Kan

In the future, SpaceX plans to expand the laser system so that it can be ported and mounted on third-party satellites. He also said that he is considering transmitting data by directing the satellite's laser to terminals on the earth's surface.