ztmike
Mark for moderation
Premium
join:2001-08-02
Michigan City, IN
 ·Comcast
1 edit | Shows what i know..me=dumb
I thought satellites that were released in space never die unless something dies that couldn't be possibly fixed?
Unless something that dies that keeps it in orbit..
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"I am the worst president in U.S history, I'm either stupid or dumb most of the time, but people still believe me." George W. Bush |
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voiplover
Premium
join:2004-05-28
Portsmouth, NH
 ·callwithus
·Axvoice
| Space dust hitting the satellite at thousands of miles per hour puts holes in all kind of things. 
The first satellites suffered solder hairs that grow rapidly in a vacuum environment....  |
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bogey780
join:2004-03-19
Here | reply to ztmike
I don't know if this is the reason but this bird uses 12kW of juice. I imagine the hardiest of powerplants still needs some maintenance. |
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inteller
Sociopaths always win.
join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK | can't wait to see this fireworks show.
Europe doesn't have a very good history launching birds into orbit. Can't wait to watch this roman candle go up. |
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DrModem
Premium
join:2006-10-19
USA | Must you call it broadband?
Satellite is not broadband... it is just internet. Just like you wouldn't refer to dialup internet as "Dialup Broadband" |
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Brigrat
join:2003-09-01
Lovington, NM | Just out of curiosity, why do you think it is not broadband? it has the same throughput and bandwidth of DSL in many areas, albeit with higher latency? |
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wolfox
Gentle Wolfox
join:2002-11-27
Dunnellon, FL
| reply to voiplover
Re: Shows what i know..me=dumb
Satellites carry a finite amount of compressed gasses on-board that are used through it's lifetime to correct it's place in space. Especially on geo-synchronous birds. When they run out of spritz, they fall from orbit and die.
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The RIAA killed my legal webcast. Sadly it will never be mourned... |
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NightHawke
join:2002-02-28
Rockport, TX
| That's a Big Bird
When Arianne lofts this one to orbit, it'll break records for the largest single unmanned payload from ground to GEO.
One fun problem they are going to have with this design is the hardening of the processors. I'm certain that it'll be a robust design with plenty of fault tolerance built in. |
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Piggie
I Actually use Windstream
Premium
join:2005-11-23
Orange Springs, FL
 ·HughesNet Satellit..
 ·Windstream
| reply to DrModem
Re: Must you call it broadband?
said by DrModem  :Satellite is not broadband... it is just internet. Just like you wouldn't refer to dialup internet as "Dialup Broadband"
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!! |
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MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
Premium
join:2005-03-14
League City, TX
clubs:
·Comcast
| reply to DrModem
Well as much as I dislike the FCC I will use their definition
The term broadband commonly refers to high-speed Internet access. The FCC defines broadband service as data transmission speeds exceeding 200 kilobits per second (Kbps), or 200,000 bits per second, in at least one direction: downstream (from the Internet to the user’s computer) or upstream (from the user’s computer to the Internet).
This satellite will deliver plenty more then this so it is broadband internet. Dialup is 56 kilobits per second hence not referred to as broadband according to the FCC and is generally accepted to not be called broadband.
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Team Discovery-Join the fight |
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DrModem
Premium
join:2006-10-19
USA
·EarthLink
 ·1and1
 ·PeoplePC
| reply to Brigrat
Broadband in my book:
To be broadband, it must:
- Have data speeds comparable to DSL, Cable etc
- Have latency comparable to decent quality DSL, cable etc (on this, satellite fails)
- Have stability comparable to decent quality DSL, cable etc, which is in my experience with both around 95% uptime (on this, satellite fails: watch it die in fog, rain, snow, sleet, cloud cover, and when you accidentally bump the dish)
- Have stable speeds (on this, satellite fails except at 2am)
- Have priceing comparable to DSL, cable etc (on this, satellite fails: $700+ install anyone? Not to mention from what I've heard from alot of satellite users here, first install usally fails) |
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bogey780
join:2004-03-19
Here | reply to Piggie
Well broadband had a term before the internet came about. It was then co-opted by the internet crowd. |
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netwire
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Mooresboro, NC
·RoadRunner Cable
 ·Millenicom
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Vonage
| Why Bother?
I've had WildBlue in the past, that is until I discovered that EV-DO was in my area (and I live in the sticks). With EV-DO expanding so quickly what is the point of expanding Satellite at all? Besides, the latency is too high for it to be very useful to many people and the cost is way to high!
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Dell Inspiron 6000 (x1), Dell Inspiron 531s (x1), PowerBook TI 1GHz (x1), Emachine W3506 (x1), Home-made AMD 2600+ (x1) =+=+=+= Connected to the web via Sprint EV-DO Rev. A
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drjim
Premium,MVM
join:2000-06-13
Torrance, CA
clubs:
| reply to wolfox
Re: Shows what i know..me=dumb
They don't "fall from orbit". When the onboard consumables get low, they let it drift North-South for a while, and then use the remaining fuel to boost it up and out to a graveyard orbit. About half the lift-off weight is fuel, and about 90% of that is used for North-South station-keeping. Once they're in the proper orbit, they drift very little East-West.
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One man's Magic is another man's Engineering. |
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voipdabbler
join:2006-04-27
Kalispell, MT
| reply to netwire
You're in the sticks on the east coast--makes a big differen
netwire,
You're fortunate because you live in "sticks" located on the super-densely populated east coast. Those of us in "sticks" farther west are just lucky to be able to get a cellular signal once and a while, let alone EV-DO. (There are still large areas near me where there is absolutely no cellular coverage.) EV-DO will never be built up out in the large, less-populated west. Outside large urban populations in the west, you'll only possibly see EV-DO along highways. |
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TMMerlin
The Devil made me do it
join:2003-06-19
Oxford, MI | Hummm ...wasn't there a Pony Express braodband once upon a time ? |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium
join:2005-01-03 | reply to drjim
Re: Shows what i know..me=dumb
Since they're solar powered, couldn't they be maneuvered via electric means? |
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hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium
join:2005-06-29
clubs: | reply to NightHawke
Re: That's a Big Bird
Arianne 5 will have to be the rocket of choice here. |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium
join:2005-01-03
·CableOne
| reply to voipdabbler
Re: You're in the sticks on the east coast--makes a big differen
said by voipdabbler :Those of us in "sticks" farther west are just lucky to be able to get a cellular signal once and a while, let alone EV-DO. (There are still large areas near me where there is absolutely no cellular coverage.) EV-DO will never be built up out in the large, less-populated west. Outside large urban populations in the west, you'll only possibly see EV-DO along highways. I second that, here in rural Washington (yes, you Easterners, Washington is a STATE). That's why Satellite TV and radio are so popular here, too. |
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Brigrat
join:2003-09-01
Lovington, NM | reply to voipdabbler
I live in a super rural area of SE New Mexico, and Alltel offers EVDO here... |
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