{"id":4041,"date":"2026-01-06T00:23:06","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T18:53:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/?p=4041"},"modified":"2026-01-07T11:45:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T06:15:53","slug":"space-internet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/space-internet\/","title":{"rendered":"Space Internet"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Space Internet<\/strong>\u00a0is an internet connection powered by satellites orbiting the Earth.These satellites send and receive signals that are then routed to\u00a0<strong>internet service providers<\/strong>\u00a0and then to users' internet modems. Satellite internet is going to provide internet access to rural areas where people don\u2019t have access to other\u00a0<strong>broadband internet\u00a0<\/strong>options such as cable and fibre optics. Many projects, including\u00a0<strong>JioSpace Fiber<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Starlink, Amazon's Kuiper project, and OneWeb<\/strong>, will be the next big step in space internet service, each involving massive constellations of satellites in Low and Medium Earth orbit.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Working of Space Internet<\/h2>\r\n<p><strong>Internet Service Providers (ISPs)<\/strong>\u00a0transmit an internet signal to a satellite in space, which then returns to the users and is captured by their\u00a0<strong>satellite dish.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The dish is linked to the\u00a0<strong>user's modem,<\/strong>\u00a0which then connects their computer to the internet signal.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>This process then reverses back to the internet service provider and is repeated every time.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/low_earth_orbit_70ff412743.webp\" alt=\"Low Earth Orbit\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<h2>Space Internet in Low Earth Orbit<\/h2>\r\n<p>A LEO is an orbit that is relatively close to Earth's surface. This equates to up to\u00a0<strong>2,000 kilometers.<\/strong>\u00a0LEO is home to the vast majority of satellites, as well as the International Space Station (ISS)<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Projects like Starlink and OneWeb are using a constellation of LEO satellites to provide broadband Internet access.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><strong>Advantages of Space Internet in Low Earth Orbit<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Availability of more routes:<\/strong>\u00a0LEO satellites\u00a0<strong>do not\u00a0<\/strong>always have to\u00a0<strong>follow a particular path<\/strong>\u00a0around\u00a0<strong>Earth\u00a0<\/strong>in the same way; their plane can be tilted. This means there are more available routes for satellites in LEO.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Minimal latency:\u00a0<\/strong>Satellites' proximity to the ground enables them to communicate with\u00a0<strong>minimal time delay<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Reliable linking:<\/strong>\u00a0The shorter distance to the Earth means that the\u00a0<strong>satellite-to-earth communication links<\/strong>\u00a0suffer less path loss, and hence a reliable link can be established with less power and\/or reduced antenna size.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>High-resolution images:<\/strong>\u00a0It is the orbit most commonly used for satellite imaging, as being near the surface allows it to take images of\u00a0<strong>higher resolution.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Cost-effective:\u00a0<\/strong>Because of the lower orbit,\u00a0<strong>launch costs are also diminished<\/strong>\u00a0since smaller or less powerful launchers will be required.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><strong>Disadvantages<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Small coverage:\u00a0<\/strong>Owing to their\u00a0<strong>lower height<\/strong>, their signals cover a relatively small area which requires more satellites in order to reach signals to every part of the planet.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Visibility of satellite:\u00a0<\/strong>LEO satellites,\u00a0<strong>orbital periods<\/strong>\u00a0are of the order of\u00a0<strong>90 minutes,\u00a0<\/strong>which means satellites will only be visible for 5-20 minutes per orbit. To ensure uninterrupted data transmission, more satellites are needed in networks.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Not stationary:\u00a0<\/strong>A satellite in LEO orbit is a\u00a0<strong>moving target for a ground station.<\/strong>\u00a0To keep transmitted power requirements low, both the satellite and the earth station antennas must be highly directional.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Difficult tracking:\u00a0<\/strong>Individual LEO satellites are less useful in telecommunication because they move so fast across the sky and therefore require a lot of effort to track from ground stations.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><strong>Space Internet Projects in Low Earth Orbit<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Starlink Project:<\/strong>\u00a0It is the name of a\u00a0<strong>satellite network<\/strong>\u00a0developed by the private spaceflight company\u00a0<strong>SpaceX<\/strong>\u00a0to provide high-speed internet access anywhere on the planet using a\u00a0<strong>constellation of thousands of satellites.<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>The satellites are launched in groups of 60, and they orbit the Earth at a\u00a0<strong>low altitude of approximately 550 kilometers.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>One Web:\u00a0<\/strong>OneWeb is a wholesale provider of Internet services via its constellation of satellites. OneWeb uses a constellation of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites to provide broadband Internet access.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>It is a collaborative project between the\u00a0<strong>UK-based OneWeb Group and the\u00a0<\/strong>Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in partnership with\u00a0<strong>NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL).<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>ISRO\u2019s Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) rocket\u00a0<\/strong>launched the final 36 satellites for OneWeb's first-generation internet constellation. This launch marks a significant step forward for India in gaining access to the remarkable capabilities of LEO connectivity and the spread of space-based internet.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/oneweb_8998591e66.webp\" alt=\"Oneweb\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Project Kuiper:<\/strong>\u00a0Project Kuiper is an initiative of Amazon to increase global broadband access through a constellation of 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). Project Kuiper launched its first two prototype satellites in October 2023 and expected to provide service by the end of 2024.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/amazon_kuiper_project_9719532563.webp\" alt=\"Amazon Kuiper Project\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<h2>Space Internet in Geostationary Orbit<\/h2>\r\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/vajiram-prod.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com\/geostationary_orbit_975e132855.webp\" alt=\"Geostationary Orbit\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<p>Geostationary orbits of<strong>\u00a036,000 kilometers from the Earth's equator\u00a0<\/strong>are most widely recognized for the many satellites used for various kinds of telecommunication, including television.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Satellites in this orbit complete\u00a0<strong>one revolution of the Earth<\/strong>\u00a0at the same time that the\u00a0<strong>Earth rotates once on its axis<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>As a result, a satellite in a geostationary orbit\u00a0<strong>appears stationary<\/strong>\u00a0to a ground observer.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><strong>Advantages<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p>Following are the advantages of using geostationary orbit for space internet:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Coverage and Linking: Beaming signals<\/strong>\u00a0from geostationary orbit can cover a significant portion of Earth, with one satellite covering about one-third and three to four satellites covering the entire planet.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Linking:<\/strong>\u00a0As they appear to be\u00a0<strong>stationary<\/strong>, it is easier to link to them.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Simple and Affordable:<\/strong>\u00a0The satellite remains in the same relative position throughout the day, so antennas do not have to move; therefore, the\u00a0<strong>reception dish<\/strong>\u00a0does not require tracking, hence it\u2019s simple and affordable.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Remote Sensing:\u00a0<\/strong>A\u00a0<strong>stationary satellite<\/strong>\u00a0always sees the Earth from the same angle, so it can record the same image at brief intervals<strong>.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><strong>Limitations<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Latency:\u00a0<\/strong>Due to the huge\u00a0<strong>Earth-satellite-Earth distance,<\/strong>\u00a0there is a time lag called\u00a0<strong>latency\u00a0<\/strong>between a user seeking data and the server sending that data. The longer the distance that needs to be covered, the greater the time lag, or latency.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Low Spatial Resolution:\u00a0<\/strong>Due to the\u00a0<strong>high orbit (35,000 km) above the Earth<\/strong>, the spatial resolution of the data is not as great as for the\u00a0<strong>polar-orbiting satellites.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Monopoly:<\/strong>\u00a0Internet services are provided by large satellites in geostationary orbit which are monopolised by nations with well-funded programs that build large and expensive satellites.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>India and Space Internet<\/h2>\r\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>Indian Space Policy-2023<\/strong>\u00a0allows\u00a0<strong>non-government entities (NGEs)\u00a0<\/strong>to provide national and international space-based communication services via self-owned, procured, or leased\u00a0<strong>geostationary orbit<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>non-geostationary satellite orbit satellite systems.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Only two firms have a\u00a0<strong>Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS)\u00a0<\/strong>license from the\u00a0<strong>Department of Telecommunications<\/strong>; one is Reliance Jio and the other is Bharti Airtel Ltd. and the United Kingdom government\u2019s OneWeb joint venture, which merged with the French firm Eutelsat.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3><strong>JioSpace Fiber<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p>Reliance Jio successfully demonstrated India's first satellite-based gigabit internet service, which has the potential to deliver high-speed internet access to inaccessible areas of the country.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Jio will provide\u00a0<strong>medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite<\/strong>\u00a0internet in collaboration with a\u00a0<strong>Luxembourg-based satellite communications company.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Jio has connected four remote locations with JioSpace Fiber, i.e., Gir in Gujarat, Korba in Chattisgarh, Nabarangpur in Odisha, and Jorhat in Assam.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>JioSpace Fiber promises\u00a0<strong>low-latency internet,\u00a0<\/strong>but its internet will likely have a much higher latency than other LEO services. This is because\u00a0<strong>MEO satellites<\/strong>\u00a0orbit at a much higher distance from the planet, and therefore, radio signals take much longer to travel the distance.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>JioSpace Fiber<\/strong>\u00a0is expected to offer\u00a0<strong>speeds of up to 100 Mbps<\/strong>, while projects like Starlink offer speeds of up to 1 Gbps.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>Limitations of Space Internet<\/h2>\r\n<p>While\u00a0<strong>satellite internet<\/strong>\u00a0does offer many\u00a0<strong>advantages<\/strong>, it has some limitations, which include:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong>Space debris:\u00a0<\/strong>The launch of thousands of new devices at the same time will significantly increase the\u00a0<strong>load on near-Earth space<\/strong>.\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>However, it is almost certain that some of them will crash and add to the space debris population.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Dangerous flights:<\/strong>\u00a0Starlink has frequently been accused of<strong>\u00a0risky flights near other satellites.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Interference in the Universe:\u00a0<\/strong>Astronomers are concerned about the size and scope of projects like Starlink, fearing that the bright,\u00a0<strong>orbiting objects\u00a0<\/strong>will interfere with observations of the\u00a0<strong>universe<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n\t<li><strong>Climate:\u00a0<\/strong>The amount of metal that will be burned up in the Earth's atmosphere as old satellites are deorbited could cause unpredictability in the\u00a0<strong>planet's climate.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Space Internet is a broadband connection powered by space satellites. These satellites send and receive signals that are then routed to internet service providers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":7962,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[173],"tags":[40,544],"class_list":{"0":"post-4041","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-quest-level-3","8":"tag-quest","9":"tag-space-internet"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4041","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4041"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4041\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19814,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4041\/revisions\/19814"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4041"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4041"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4041"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}