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Your next phone will work around the world
If it’s one thing you can bet on, there’s always newer, better and faster tech begging you to open your wallet. With that said, you probably haven’t heard about BlueBird yet from AST SmartMobile out of Texas. They’re working with AT&T to launch the world’s first space-based cellular broadband network.
Each of these communications satellites is about half the size of a basketball court (about 700 feet wide!). So far, five are orbiting Earth, with plans for another 85 satellites to blanket the planet.
When that happens, no matter where you’re standing, you won’t have to deal with crappy cellphone service or zero bars. I love that. Don’t you? Keep reading — I’ve got a payload of a space update with need-to-know details you’ll want to tell your family and friends.
Call me, maybe
With BlueBird satellite access, your trusty smartphone transforms into a satellite phone — no extra gadgets needed. Forget about searching for those elusive cell towers! This is a total game-changer, especially for those in rural areas with bad (or nonexistent) internet or cell service.
AT&T Chief Operating Officer Jeff McElfresh summed it up like this: “It’s a future where our customers will only be hard to reach if they choose to be.” In other words, no more excuses, like, “Honey, I couldn’t call to tell you I was going to be late because I had no bars.”
Currently, it’s the top dog in commercial communications, hovering in low-Earth orbit. As exciting as these advancements are, scientists are already sounding the alarms about overcrowded skies. A study in Nature found BlueBird’s predecessor was as bright as over 22% of the brightest stars in the sky.
BlueBird’s satellites are about to get much bigger — about 2,425 square feet in diameter each. To put that into perspective, the average single-family home in the U.S. is around 2,400 square feet. Imagine 90 homes orbiting Earth.
And that extra light? It’s making it harder for scientists to peek into the cosmic mysteries. After all, if a meteor’s zooming our way, it’d be great to get a heads-up, don’t you think?
Star light, star bright
Speaking of space clutter, Elon Musk’s SpaceX just hit 6,370 Starlink satellites in orbit. Not bad, given it started in 2019. Musk has plans to launch 42,000 satellites — possibly more. At this rate, we’ll soon have more Starlink satellites in the sky than visible stars (about 9,000).
A standard Starlink satellite is way smaller than a BlueBird satellite, measuring 9.2 feet long and 4.7 feet wide when its solar panels are tucked in. Once deployed, those panels stretch the satellite to 36 feet across.
For fun: Use this site to track when you can see Starlink satellites above your home. And this real-time map shows you all Starlink satellites in orbit currently. Spoiler: It’s amazing!
I use Starlink as an internet backup at my home in California and on my boat to get Wi‑Fi on the water. Warning: It’s not cheap. Starlink charges $350 for the residential gear to get started, then it’s another $120 monthly. It’s more expensive for boats and RVs.
Even with that hefty price tag, Starlink has over 4 million subscribers. They’re also partnered with T‑Mobile for their upcoming satellite-based smartphones.
As with BlueBird, there are concerns with how Starlink’s thousands of bright lights and signals interfere with scientists’ ability to monitor space happenings. Experts also warn of potential collision hazards. Oof. One thing’s for sure: Space is getting crowded — fast.
Explore: Did you know the International Space Station is the third brightest object in the sky? Here’s how to find it.
😂 Speaking of … Two astronauts are chilling on the ISS when one turns to the other and says, “I can’t find any milk for my coffee.” The second astronaut replies, “In space, no one can here use cream.”
Don’t get left behind – Stay tech ahead
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Tags: family, home, internet, network, phone, satellites, space, SpaceX, Starlink, tech, Wi-Fi
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